


The Future of Chaos

by Canariae



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angry Sex, Evil Loki (Marvel), F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Jealous Loki (Marvel), Smut, Titans, Tony's an ass, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-21 22:36:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 48
Words: 77,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14294934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canariae/pseuds/Canariae
Summary: What happens when a Norse God and a Greek Titan are forced to join the Avengers to redeem themselves.





	1. Chapter 1

     Waking up to the bright lights of you cell was getting on your nerves, did they ever shut these florescent lights off? You squinted as your eyes tried to adjust, not that it mattered, the cell never changed. You were alone again, you imagined the guards were on the other side of the door but it didn't matter since you couldn't get out of your cuffs anyway. 

     You cursed as the handcuffs dug into your skin. You weren’t sure what they were made out of, but you weren’t able to get them off. There were no locks to pick and the little bit of magic you possessed and could manipulate, wouldn’t work. They were attached to the wall, causing your hands to be above your head as you sat on the floor. Everything hurt, and you simply wanted to go home, but that wasn’t going to be possible now. You looked up when the door opened, and you saw Tony Stark smirking down at you. 

     “Congratulations, you get a fellow criminal and murderer for a cell mate” he said, as two unnamed agents threw in a man, he wore similar handcuffs to you. He had a muzzle on as well, his dark hair falling around his face. He looked angry and you recognized him, not just from the news but from old stories you heard some time ago. Thor came in shortly, you could see him try to argue with Tony, but they left before you could find out what the subject was. Soon you were left alone with the other prisoner, set up the same way you were but his muzzle was gone now. 

     “Well, isn’t this comfy” he tried to move his hands, but it didn’t work. Whatever it was that was stopping you from getting out, was also stopping him. You watched as he looked up at them, as if trying to glare them off of his hands, and when that didn't work, tugged again. 

     “So how did the great Prince Loki end up a prisoner of the Avengers. I thought your brother took you back to Asgard?” You ask, you weren’t entirely interested but it had been awhile since you got to speak to another person. You voice was hoarse and it hurt to speak, you would have killed for a glass of water.

     “You know me?” He asked, his eyebrow raised at you, trying to turn his body as much as he could. He stared at you in wonder, probably trying to figure out who you were. 

     “Doesn’t everyone?” You countered. He seemed to accept that response, even though it wasn’t an answer. He thought for a moment, looked back at his cuffs and then back at you.

     “Since you know who I am, I think it only fair that you tell me who you are” he asked, his face showed no expression to help you decipher what he was thinking. 

     "That's not how this work, prince" you scoffed. He visibly angered at your response, but he couldn't get to you even if he wanted to. He looked at your more intently now, his eyes traveled down your form and then back up again. His eyes stopped at the cuffs as he realized it was the same pair that held him in place. 

     "You're a goddess, that much is certain" Loki told you and you laughed, shaking your head at his nonsense. You could tell your laughter angered him further but you wanted to rub in the fact that he was wrong, you let your own anger get the better of you.

     "Oh please, you gods are all the same. You think yourselves so clever, so much better than everyone" you spat, your disgust evident.  "I am not mere goddess; I am a Titan" you told him, unable to stop yourself. 

     "And here I thought all the Titans were killed off" Loki looked far too pleased with himself for getting the details out of you. It made you want to stab him; if only you had your weapons. You were sure the others were listening in on the conversation and you berated yourself for giving away the information away so quickly. You had lasted weeks held by them without breaking even once, how did Loki get under your skin so quickly?

     "Of course not, we just don't announce ourselves like Gods do, our egos aren't that big" you glared at him, you had done it again. 

     "Maybe your egos aren't that big because you aren't that powerful" Loki glared back. The two of you were breathing harder, anger taking control of your bodies as you both tried to rid yourselves of the cuffs that held you to the wall. 

     "If you're so powerful then why don't you get us out of these chains and we'll see who's stronger" you threatened. You could see Loki visibly tighten on his restraints willing himself out to attack you as you did the same. 

***

     "They are going to kill each other" Natasha warned, the Avengers watched the scene unfold before them on a large tv screen. They were in the living room, far enough away from the cells to feel comfortable, without fear. 

     "That's a problem because?" Tony asked but no one responded. He looked over to Thor who was watching the monitor's carefully. "Is she telling the truth?"

     "I think so, I believe my brother would have called her out on a lie" Thor started, he looked away from the screen to see the rest of the team starring at him. "I honestly don't know much about the Titans, I thought they were simply a legend, a good bed time story for children" he finished. 

     "So, if she is really a Titan, she would be older than you and Loki" Bruce asked and Thor nodded his head. 

     "If the legends hold true, the Titans were supposed to have died off long before I was born". He turned his head back to the monitor, but nothing had changed. The two immortal beings just starred at each other, as if that was enough to kill the other one.

     "What about your brother? You really think we can just let him out and he will behave himself?" Tony asked, he didn’t like this at all. 

     "Probably not" Thor offered, it wasn't the best plan but Odin had not wanted Loki on Asgard any longer. Thor didn’t think there was another choice. Steve sighed and cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. 

     "So the question is, what do we do with them?"


	2. Chapter 2

     You and Loki both got shoved into chairs in a board room. Tony and Steve Rogers sat across from you both as you glared at the guard for being so rough. The glare was soon turned onto the two men in front of you, wondering what they wanted now. 

     "So, you're a Titan" Tony started and you rolled your eyes, you knew they had been listening. You didn't say anything, you wanted to know where he was going with this meeting before giving away any other information. Loki looked smug beside you, like he wasn't a prisoner as well, you thought bitterly. "Which one are you?" Tony continued and you sighed. You briefly thought about how long it would take them to figure it out if you didn't tell them, but there was no fun in that since they would just keep badgering you about it. 

     "Asteria, but for the last few hundred years I have gone by (Y/N)" you told them. You could tell Loki was going through old stories in his head, trying to remember anything about you. There wasn't too many on you and you were sure to keep it that way, preferring to stay in the shadows. 

     "What can you do?" Tony asked again, Steve had been awfully quiet through this whole exchange, you noticed. 

     "Well Stark, I can do a great many things. Would you like me to start listing them all off?" Loki snorted beside you. 

     "What are you laughing at Reindeer Games? I may still let her go and see who wins the bet on which one of you is stronger. My money is on her, but I also just want to see that smug grin wiped off your face" Tony was getting angry now. It was easy to get under his skin, you thought, storing that little fact away for later. 

     "I would be happy to prove you wrong then, just take the cuffs off" Loki smiled, holding up his bound hands. 

     "Maybe later" Tony told him. "For now, we have a proposition for the two of you, as bad of an idea as it may be, we're willing to give it a try under strict rules" he added. You waited to hear the rest of the offer. 

     "You would both me out of your cell, your time spent here will go towards your eventually freedom but you must help the team with missions, reconnaissance and anything else we may need. You will share an area to live in with two bedrooms, bathroom and a shared living space; you will have to come up with the team to eat though" Steve told you. Sharing a living space with Loki, was that worth being able to sleep in a bed again? The ache in your shoulders and neck told you that it was. 

     "Now, for security measures" Tony jumped up. "Your living spaces will be monitored closely every day to ensure neither of you are up to something. I have also designed these new cuffs" Tony held up two different sets. They weren't attached together, more like bracelets. One was green and gold, the other black and silver. "They will monitor your whereabouts, keep you out of places you aren't supposed to be and most importantly, drastically limit your magical abilities. Once on, I am the only one that can take them off" he smiled at this, he was enjoying the power.

     "If you agree to our terms, they start immediately" Steve added. He looked at the both of you, as if trying to decipher where your heads were at. 

     "Not allowed to make any counter offers?" You asked, smirking when Tony glared at you. "I'll take that as a no" you mumbled. 

     "Once we're in our quarters, we are able to do as we please?" Loki asked, you hated that it was a good question, but listened none-the-less. 

     "As long as it doesn't threaten us, Earth or all of existence; yes, you can do what you want. Kill each other for all we care, would probably make things a lot easier if you did" Tony remarked and you rolled your eyes. 

     "Fine" Loki gave in, holding up his wrist for the new cuffs. Tony took the green and gold ones and placed them on each of Loki's wrists, locking them into place. Once the new ones were on, the ones came off. You could feel his slight increase in power, but not enough to do any real damage. They all looked at you, waiting for an answer. 

     "Fine, if I'm going to a prisoner, I might as well have a comfortable place to sleep" your snide remark did not go unnoticed and Tony hesitated putting the new cuffs on. The silver lined up once he locked them in place, if they hadn’t been holding your magic back, you would have thought they were cute. Once these were on, he also hesitated taking the old ones off. 

     "You are also required to leave FRIDAY alone, unless I ask otherwise. This also means no messing with my security systems, the mainframe or anything" he growled. 

     "Fine, take away all my fun" you grumbled as Tony took off the first set of cuffs. You could feel you power return, if only a little bit, but it was a nice feeling none the less. 

     "I will show you to your rooms" Steve smiled brightly, he was far too cheerful now. You got up and wanted to groan as your muscles ached from sitting so long in the cell. You and Loki silently followed Steve, you noticed Tony had stayed behind. The Tower was a maze of metal hallways and doors, you looked around trying to memorize the area. You get into the elevator and head up, you try to not which floor you are on but get distracted by Loki smirking at you. This was going to be a long imprisonment. The elevator let out a ding and you exited the elevator as Steve brought you to a door. 

     "Everything you need is already in there, including clothes, toiletries and Thor brought some books for both of you to enjoy" he doesn't stick around for questions, just heads back to elevator. Loki opens the door and heads in first. It's large enough, a small seating area with a couple of books shelves, a bathroom off to the side and two bedrooms. It looked like a tiny apartment. Loki took in the area quickly, walked from one bedroom to the other and finding them both identical save for a few belongings. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, giving you a smug look that you wanted to wipe off his face. 

     "Well, it looks like we are going to get to know each other pretty well". 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone enjoys the second chapter. I know they aren't too long yet, but they will get there!


	3. Chapter 3

     "So, what did you do to make Stark so angry?" Loki asked as he looked through the room. You did the same, checking every nook and cranny. You already knew there were cameras so that didn’t surprise you when you found them. 

     “Why do you care?” You asked, moving over to check the rooms. The room further from the door belonged to you it seemed. So, you walked in and shut the door, hoping Loki took the hint that you did not want to speak with him. He did not, as soon as your head hit the pillow, he walked in behind you, leaving your door opened. 

     “I’m curious” he simply said. You sighed, did he ever give up? You turned yourself around and propped yourself up on the pillows. 

     "Probably because I stole his shit and messed with FRIDAY, it was so easy" you bragged. Loki nodded along. 

     "So, you're a common thief" Loki surmised. He knew how to get you angry but you tried to stay calm, not wanting to leave your new bed. 

     "There is nothing common about me" you glared. "At least I didn't try to take over a planet because I have daddy issues" you countered. You could see his anger, a vein threatening to pop in his neck. He tried not to let it show, but it didn’t seem to be working. 

     "You dare speak that way to me?" He asked and you simply shrugged, wanting to go to sleep but it didn’t look like that was going to be an option anytime soon. Loki relaxed slightly, taking a deep breath. "I don’t suppose you're any better, one of the great Titans of old legends reduced to stealing from a drunk. What's the matter, not good enough to make it on your own anymore?" Loki taunted. Before you could blink, your body reacted to the taunt, lunging at him and knocking him down. He easily got you off of him but wasn't able to stop a kick to his chest. 

     "I don't need magic to beat the crap out of you, Prince" you snarled. You wanted to lunge again but the door slammed opened and Thor came in, catching you almost mid-air. 

     "At least give it an hour before you two kill each other" he complained, setting you down as far away from Loki as he could manage. You both glared around Thor at each other. 

     "She's hiding something and it irks me" Loki responded. You rolled your eyes, getting out of your fighting position and crossing your arms. 

     "It doesn’t concern you or the Avengers so leave it alone" you told him firmly. Loki looked like he wanted to attack again but Thor was rather large and standing in between you, making it difficult to get at each other. 

     "Look, you both have to live like this for a while, you might as well try and get along. It would be easier on everyone" Thor explain, he was already exacerbated by the two of you. "Why don’t you both go for a walk and cool down" he suggested. Thor looked over at you, well more like stared until you gave in. 

     "Fine, I will go explore the tower". 

***

     The tower was boring, you decided. You walked around, making a mental note of where everyone's rooms were, where the kitchen was and the shared living spaces. You had a feeling you wouldn’t be using much of the shared spaces though. You tried to access the roof but Friday wouldn't let you, maybe you could mess around with his systems just a little, you needed fresh air after all. You let it go for now, deciding on thinking about it tonight and how you would be able to do it discreetly. 

     You went back into the tower, found the gym where Steve was working out. He didn’t notice you and you kept it that way. Then you found a pool, that was inviting. There wasn't anyone else around. You wondered if there was a bathing suit in your room, you would check tonight. After leaving there, you ended up back in the kitchen, trying to decide if you were hungry or not. 

     "Oh, I didn't realize anyone else was in here" a male voice brought you out of your daze. You turned quickly, grabbing a knife from the counter and getting ready to fight. "Relax, there will be no fighting today" he held up his hands, giving up to you. You noticed he had a metal arm and long dark hair. He smiled at you, which was weird enough but you put down the weapon. 

     "I will be going" you stated, putting down the knife and deciding that you weren't hungry. You could always eat once everyone else was asleep. You had read about this man in Stark's file, the Winter Soldier they called him. The last you heard, Captain American was travelling the globe looking for this man, you wondered how he ended up here. 

     "You don't have to, I'm assuming you were here because you’re hungry" he started. "My names Bucky by the way, but I'm sure you already knew that" he finished. You eyed him warily, not really trusting him, but it may be better than going back to your room to deal with Loki. You nodded your head, letting him into the kitchen without threat of you stabbing him. He routed around the kitchen and came back with a bunch of ingredients for a sandwich. "Want one?" He asked. 

     "Sure" you said, careful to watch him as he prepared it. While Bucky was preparing food, you seen Wanda come into the kitchen but then back out when she seen the two of you. 

     "You get used to it their behaviour, their still very cautious around me too" Bucky told you. To be fair, you didn't care, they more they avoided you, the less work you had to do. Bucky finished up and handed you a plate. "If you ever need anything, let me know" he smiled and left the room, leaving you alone. You thought about it and decided to bring your food back to your room, hoping that Loki wouldn't be there. 

     Once there, you rejoice, Loki was gone. You sat in your bedroom and ate your food, it was surprisingly good for a sandwich. That also may have been because you haven't eaten much since getting captured. Once done, you stretched out onto the bed, hoping to get a better rest than you had in a long while. 

***

     "Please brother, can you just behave while you're here" Thor asked as they walked around the tower. Loki kept up with his brother's stride, but rather reluctantly engaged in the conversation. 

     "Don't you find it strange that she's here. The Titans were formidable, nothing stood in their way. How did she get caught with powers like hers" Loki was still bothered by your presence, something was off but he didn’t know what it was. 

     "She messed up and got caught one night when she came in to the tower. You’re over thinking this" Thor tried to tell him, that wasn't a good enough answer for Loki however. 

     "No, there is something she isn't telling you, and I plan on finding out what". 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

     You woke up on your new bed, unsure of when you had fallen asleep. You rubbed your eyes and looked around at the time, it was the middle of the night. You sighed, knowing you wouldn't be able to get back to sleep now, you decided to get up. It was a little chilly so you went through the closet and clothes provided for you, finding a black sweater to throw on. The room was quiet, Loki wasn't in the shared space so you assumed he was sleeping. 

     You left the room, wondering how far you would be able to get before Friday would stop you. Deciding to run the experiment, you went up. You were about as far as you could go, reaching the roof and surprisingly, Friday let you open the door to the room. The cool night air hit your skin and you smiled, breathing in the fresh air. 

     It had been some time since you've been let outside. You wondered why the roof wasn't off limits to you, but you didn't want to question it. The stars were easily visible from the roof, the lights from the city not disrupting the view any longer. The moon was large this evening, not a full moon, but close. You sat down beside the edge, taking in the night and relaxing. 

     "Didn't think I would have any company up here" Loki's voice interrupted your relaxation. You sighed, you should have known this was too good to be true. 

     "I didn't see you up here" you said as he walked over. It was true, normally you would have scanned for threats, but you had been so happy to be outside, you forgot. You cursed yourself for the lack of care you took. 

     "What are you doing up here so late?" He asked, sitting down next to you, a little too close for your comfort. You moved away slightly from him, making sure the distance between you was more to your liking. He noticed, but he didn't move closer to you again. 

     "If you must know, I couldn't sleep" you told him. It wasn't a lie, you knew yourself well enough to know that if you had stayed in bed, you would have simply tossed and turned the rest of the night. He nodded his head, moving his head upwards to enjoy the sky as well. 

     "I have been reading up on you" Loki started and you couldn't help but be anxious. Of course, he had looked you up, it was only natural to want to know more about the person you were imprisoned with. "They say that you flung yourself into the ocean, effectively killing yourself". 

     "You should know better than anyone to not believe everything you read, especially if a human came up with it. For instance, I read that you fucked a horse then gave birth to one" you smirked as his angry gaze moved back to you. He didn't say anything, only seethed in anger quietly. 

     You both sat in silence, watching the night sky, for some time. The sun was peaking up over the horizon, making the stars slowly disappear, only to be seen again when the sun went back down. You sighed, you would have to go back in soon. 

     "The Avengers wanted to see us today for training, you should get some rest" Loki told you, picking himself up off the ground. 

     "I'm fine, I will see you down in the training area" you told him, not making a single move to get up. He rolled his eyes and left back into the tower. You breathed a sigh of relief, enjoying the last few moments you would have to yourself before the day began. 

***

     You got dressed again, changing into something that you could easily move in and headed down to the training area. You had no idea who would be there, and you weren't looking forward to it. Walking in, you noticed Steve and Bucky speaking quietly in a corner. Loki was sitting off to the edge, looking as bored as you had ever seen him, until his eyes locked onto yours. 

     "You're late" Steve announced, you fought off the urge to flip him off. Instead you forced a smile to your face, you were sure it looked fake but couldn't bring yourself to care. 

     "Won't happen again" you mumbled, it was a lie, but only Loki seemed to catch onto that. Bucky gave you a warm smile and you looked away, just wanting to get this day over with. "So, where do we start" you asked. 

     "Well we want to see how the two of your do in hand to hand combat" Steve told you. You nodded, shrugging off your sweater and getting ready. 

     "I would be happy to beat the crap out of the prince" you smirked, eyeing Loki who now got up from his seat across the room. 

     "And I would be happy to prove that you can't" Loki countered. Steve sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. 

     "We figured the two of you still wanted to kill each other, so instead, Loki will be training with Bucky and (Y/N) will be training with Thor who should be here shortly. I will be observing" you rolled your eyes, Thor was not the god you wanted to beat up. Loki did not look too impressed with the change of events either. Neither of you said anything however as Thor entered the training room. You resigned to your fate and readied yourself for a fight. 

***

     "How are the two convicts making out?" Tony came up and stood beside Steve. They looked down on the training areas, a glass separating them from the fight. 

     "They're stronger than we thought they would be, even without their magic" Steve commented, he was worried. 

     "Seems like Point Break is not fairing too well against our thief" Tony remarked as he Thor crashed to the floor. Steve and Tony could feel the ground shake slightly beneath them as they watched you laugh. 

     "No, I thought Thor would be a great match for her. Then again, we don't really know what a Titan is capable of yet" Steve would only take his eyes off of you for a moment to check on Bucky. They already knew how Loki fought, and Bucky had been more than prepared to try and deflect the attacks. Loki also wasn't giving it his all, he was paying attention to the other fight in the room, studying the Titan just as Steve was doing. 

     "I've looked up some of the mythology, the only concrete thing I have find is that they were powerful. There isn't much known about them however, especially her" Tony commented and Steve nodded. He watched as Thor yielded and you stopped mid-attack and sighed, he knew the training was over now no matter what he said. 

     "Keep me posted" he told Tony before walking back into the training room. Thor was getting up from the ground, red and out of breath. You on the other hand, didn't look like you broke a sweat, and neither did Loki, who eyed you carefully. 

     "I think that's enough for today, we'll meet back here next week for more training" Steve announced and let everyone go. You tried to follow out the door, but Loki blocked your way. One everyone was out of ear shot, he smiled. 

     "Very impressive the way you handled Thor", it almost sounded like a compliment, but the way he stood over you told you that it wasn't. 

     "He was an easy target, focused too much on brute strength" you told him, although you suspected that was something Loki already knew. He smirked and leaned down so that you could feel his breath on your ear. 

     "I won't be that easy to beat". 


	5. Chapter 5

     It was midnight when your stomach woke you up. Suddenly remembering that you skipped supper again since all the Avengers were in the tower and eating together. You sighed, no one else should be up now; perfect time to get something eat. You pulled the blankets off yourself, hissing as the cool air hit your bare legs. You didn't want to look around for pants, so simply left the shorts on and grabbed a blanket to take with you.

     Making your way out of the room was easy, Loki wasn't there once more. You were starting to get curious as to where he went at night. You brushed it off as you made your way to the kitchen, relishing the only time it seemed to be quiet. You yawned as you made your way to the fridge, there must be something quick and easy to make. Your eyes drifted over everything, finding nothing that peaked your interest, so you moved on to the cupboards. 

     Eventually, you settled on cereal and brought it to the counter. You wrapped yourself up in the blanket as you sat down to enjoy your meal. 

     "We seem to keep running into each other despite our attempts to avoid it" Loki's voice came from the living room. Why did he have to speak, you wouldn't have even known he was there if he had just kept his mouth shut. 

     "I will just go back up to the room then" you told him, letting the blanket slide off of you as you rose to your feet. You were leaving when Loki's voice stopped you. 

     "Do you have a family?" His questions were getting stranger, and much too personal for your liking. You turned around, giving him your best look of annoyance. 

     "Doesn't everyone?" You asked. You watch him anger, he is quick to rise from his spot on the couch, but only coming slightly closer to you. 

     "Are you ever going to stop answer my questions with another question; or rude remark?" He asked and you shrugged your shoulders. You couldn't see it happened, but you've witness stranger things in your long lifetime. 

     "Maybe you should simply stop trying, Prince" you said, as sincere as you were ever planning on getting with him. He was getting angrier now, setting closer to you. 

     "Maybe you should just answer the questions, thief" he demanded. You tried to leave but he grabbed hold of your wrist and forced you closer to him. 

     "Let me go" you warned, but the smirk on his face told you that he wasn't about to be threatened with words. You were about to attack but someone cleared their throat behind you. You both whipped your heads around, glaring at a very sleepy looking Bucky. 

     "Everything okay here?" He asked. You pulled your wrist from Loki's grip and moved away slightly, hoping the tension would decrease when you did. 

     "Fine" you both responded. Loki gave you one last look before leaving the area, back up to the room you supposed. Bucky watched him leave and then gave you a look, expecting you to explain, you assumed but you said nothing. 

     "Let's look at your wrist" he finally said, he reached for it gently but you still pulled away from him. 

     "It's fine, I heal quickly" you told him quickly. He had been nice to you, you didn't want to offend him. 

     "It looks like things aren't getting better between you two" he offered instead. You shook your head, you weren't sure that better was ever going to happen. 

     "Why are you awake, it's the middle of the night?" You suddenly asked, forgetting his questions of you and Loki. You looked at the clock, to ensure you were correct and that you hadn't lose a few hours. It was almost one in the morning, not usually a time for humans to be up. 

     "Couldn't sleep, I have bad nightmares most nights. What about you, you’re up in the middle of the night, care to talk about it?" Bucky offered again, he went and sat down on the couch, patting the seat next to him. You relented and joined him. He waited for you to get comfortable on the couch, sitting as far away from him as possible. 

     "I like the night, it's peaceful" you told him plainly, there wasn't much else you wanted to divulge at this point. He smiled at you. 

     "That it is". 

***

     Loki watched from the hallway as you sat down with the Winter Soldier. His anger flaring up far more than it should have. So much so, that he did not hear the footsteps coming up behind him and a hand tapping his shoulder. He flung himself around, forcing the intruder on the wall. 

     "What do you want Thor?" Loki asked, letting him go once Loki knew who it was. He sighed, taking a quick look back to see if you heard anything, if you did, you gave no indications of it.  

     "Are you spying on Asteria?" Thor asked as his gazed followed his brothers. He watched you chuckle slightly as something Bucky said. 

     "Of course not" he paused before clearing his throat. "I am simply trying to find out what she is hiding" Loki deflected, moving away from his hiding spot in the hallway. Thor did not relent and followed his brother. 

     "You know, you would probably get further with her if you were nice. Woman tend to respond to that, she might even like you if you stopped being so defensive" Thor's advice was not well received by Loki who gave him a glare. 

     "I don't want her to like me, brother. She is insufferable" Loki spat. Thor laughed, a loud booming laugh that was sure to wake up some of the other Avengers. Loki started to move away from his brother, his footsteps increasing to try and get away. Thor's footsteps stopped, smiling as he called out to his fleeing brother. 

     "I have known you your whole life Loki and have watched you deal with many 'insufferable' people. You have never gotten this worked up about any them". 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the wonderful comments, I'm glad to hear people are enjoying this story. I hope it will continue to entertain.

     The sun was coming up as you slipped back into your room, hoping to avoid the early morning Avengers. Bucky asked you to stay up for breakfast with the team, but that was not something you were willing to do; he seemed to understand. So instead, you were lugging yourself back up to the room in hopes of sleeping and/or reading one of the books Thor had brought his brother. 

     You walked into the room in a slight daze of your own mind but noticed Loki sitting up in the chair with a book title 'Greek Mythologies'.  _Shit,_ you thought. There would never be much in there about you, but it was enough to get on your nerves. 

     "So, you have a daughter, Hecate, I have heard she is quite powerful. The goddess of magic, they call her" he spoke, not even bothering to look up from his book. The rage was quietly building in you, but you didn't want to let him know that he was getting to you. Instead, you walked over to the book shelf and tried to pick out something for yourself. "Where is she?"

     "Somewhere safe" was all you allowed yourself to say. It seems that it was enough for Loki however, you could see his smirk from the corner of your eye as you browsed the titles. You rolled your eyes, cursing yourself for saying anything. You picked a book, not paying attention to what it was and started heading to your room. He stopped you and you book fell to the floor but you had expected as much. 

     "What about your husband, Perses, I have heard that he was quite the piece of work. Dead, I assume?" His arm was blocking your way to the bedroom. You turned your head and glared at him. "I will take that deathly look as a yes" he smiled. You hit his arm, causing him to lose his balance slightly and you shoved his head into the wall. 

     "Do not presume to know anything about my family" you warned. When Loki looked back at you, you thought for sure he was going to kill you. He lunged at you and both of you crashed through the door, landing in the hallway. He landed on top of you, pinning you down with his body. 

     "I will do what I please, thief" he smirked. 

     "Of course you do, you are nothing but a spoiled prince" you spat at him, your eyes daring him to say something else. He seethed and you waited for a blow of some kind, what you did not expect was his lips crashing onto yours. The initial shock wasn't long wearing off before you were kissing back, fighting for dominance in a new way. 

     Footsteps were coming up the hallway when he pushed off of you and you scrambled to your feet. You noticed a bloody gash on his forehead and you shoulder felt bruised. Bucky, Tony and Thor came running towards you, taking in the scene. The door had blown to pieces when you both hit it and now laid across the floor. 

     "These two are going to destroy my tower" Tony grumbled, looking around. Once he knew there was no more damage he left, "you two handle this!" He yelled back. 

     "What happened this time?" Thor sighed. 

     "Nothing" you both answered, not taking your glare off of him. Bucky stepped forward, causing Loki's eyes to follow the Winter Solider. His metal reach out to you and gentle turned you around. 

     "Come on, we'll get Steve to check you out" he said, pushing you forward. You complied and left the two Asgardian Gods in the hallway. Thor turned to Loki, an exacerbated look on his face. 

     "Didn't I just tell you this morning to be nice to her?" When Loki didn't answer, Thor continued. "Come on brother, we should get Bruce to check you out, looks like she hit you quite hard" Thor taunted, receiving nothing but a glare from his brother. 

***

     You hissed in pain as Steve checked your shoulder, if you had your magic you would have been healed by now, you thought bitterly. He moved it again and you struggled to pull away, but Bucky was on the other side of you, stopping you from moving anywhere. 

     "Well it looks dislocated, I can fix though until Bruce can take a look at it" Steve told you and you nodded. You got ready for the pain, Bucky offered you his hand but you pushed it away. The searing pain started, and then dulled as your shoulder was back where it should be. 

     "Thanks" you muttered. You went to get off of the table that you sat on but both super soldiers stopped you, arms crossed like they were ready to give you a scolding. 

     "Do you want to tell us what happened back there?" Steve asked, using a tone that made you feel like a child. You narrowed your eyes at him, wondering what the best course of action would be before you sighed. 

     "He got on my nerves" you told them. They looked like they almost didn't believe you, but too be honest, that was what most of your fights were about. 

     "You need to stop hitting him, try finding some common ground" Bucky tried and Steve nodded in agreement. You looked between the two of them. 

     "You both do realize you're not my parents, right?" You pushed past the two of them in a huff, wanting to leave the situation as soon as you could. 

     "We're just trying to help!" Bucky called out to you but you were already gone. 

***

     "What did he do this time?" Bruce asked, looking at Loki nose. He wanted to hit someone but he refrained, without access to his magic he wasn't going to heal as fast as he was used to. 

     "Why do you assume it was something I did?" Loki asked, as nicely as he could muster. Thor laughed and shook his head. 

     "I think he annoyed Asteria a little too much. I keep trying to tell him to be nice, but he doesn't seem to listen very well" Thor answered, completely ignoring Loki's glare. 

     "You both do realize that you live together now, you'll have to get along eventually" Bruce adds but Loki simply rolls his eyes and ignores the advice. Bruce is finally finished when an alarm begins to buzz. "Looks like we have a mission". 

***

     The Avengers gathered at the helipad, with you and Loki straggling behind, unsure of why you were following them. Everyone was suited up in their armor, except you, Loki and Bruce. 

     "No, no way, they are not coming" Tony yelled as he finally noticed them. 

     "We can't leave them here either, they will stay in the jet with Bruce" Steve told him, motioning for both of you to get on. You sighed and followed the team up, not exactly thrilled to be tagging along. You simply wanted to sleep. Tony scoffed. 

     "Fine, but if they kill us, I'm never talking to you again". 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly fluff, just during a battle. A nice little break from the constant bickering. I hope everyone enjoys!

     The team had left the jet, leaving you and Loki alone with only Bruce to watch you. He wasn't doing too good of a job, mostly he rubs in hands together in a panic that the team would call a code green. You didn't blame him, but his anxiety was getting on your nerves. 

     The battle field had been quiet for some time before the first signs of a fight started. They had landed the jet just outside of a small city in Texas. You had never been here before, but it looked like a quiet place to live. Quite the opposite to the bustling city of New York you now called home. 

     The communications system flickered to life, the sounds of the team battling an unknown enemy hit your ears and you stood up, listening. 

     "Code green" Natasha's voice came and Bruce stopped pacing, the dreaded words finally coming. He turned to you and Loki now. 

     "Do not cause any trouble, we will be back as soon as we can" he told you before taking off into the battle field. He could just barely make out him turning into the Hulk, but you definitely heard the loud roar. You sat back down, listening to the sounds of the fight. 

     "Well this is boring" Loki pipped up, he had been laying down on the jet since you both got on, not bothering to move for anyone else to sit down. 

     "For once, I agree" you added. You got up and looked out of the jet, your eyes scanning the small town. You were far enough away so they wouldn't notice you but being a Titan had its perks. You were able to see the town very clearly, the Hulk popping up every now and again. 

     "Would you like to finish our conversation from earlier, Titan?" Loki taunted. You rolled your eyes, not that see could see this expression, he was still behind you.

     "Not even a little" you answered, not moving from your spot. Then, the screams of children hit your ears and you tried to take off running, but Loki grabbed your arm. 

     "You're not having all the fun without me" his eyes gleamed mischievously. 

     "Follow me then" you smirked. Both of you took off running towards the sound. Loki kept up surprisingly well, not that you would tell him that. Once you got to the sounds of the screaming, you noticed that children were stuck in a collapsing building. "I will pass them to you, make sure they get out of the way" you told Loki, jumping into the building. For once, he didn't argue with you. 

     You swooped to the left to avoid a falling piece of the building. The children were huddled up in the corner, very small, definitely under ten you assumed. 

     "Come, we need to get you out of here" you spoke confidently. The first one came towards you, prompting the others. Taking the first one and picking him up, handing him over to Loki who set him on the ground and gave him instructions to head to a safe area. One by one you did this, trying to get them all out. 

     "You know, with your help we could take over this primitive world" Loki's voice called out. You tried not to laugh, handing him another child. 

     "Oh yeah, and what would we do with this primitive world, as you called it?" You answered back, bringing another child into your arms. 

     "Whatever we desire" Loki smirked at you, taking the child from your hands and letting her run off with the others. 

     "I will think about it" you called back. You grabbed the last little boy and lifted him up to Loki. You did one last sweep, looking for any of them that may have been hiding in fear. Once satisfied, you headed for the opening yourself as the building began to creek. 

     "Asteria, get out now!" You heard Loki yell. You climbed your way, narrowly avoiding the falling ruble.  You took one last step and flung yourself out of the building, Loki catching you, but in the process falling on the ground. You landed on top of him, out of breath. 

     "I thought I told everyone to call me (Y/N)" you chided and he laughed, his head resting on a pile of dirt. It was the first time you heard the Trickster laugh in enjoyment. 

     "So you did, (Y/N)" he agreed. You pushed yourself off of him, getting up as he did. You dusted yourself off as Bucky came running towards you, a large smile on his face. 

     "I knew you two weren't all bad" he started, "now why don't you two help us finish this fight" he threw you both a dagger and you smiled. 

     "What do you say, shall we join the fun?" Loki asked as you tossed the dagger up and catching it, it was a good blade. 

     "Oh yes". 

***

     You lost track of Loki in the fight and found out you were battling very crude looking robots. It reminded you of some of Tony's projects but much more menacing. No one seemed surprised by the attacks, so you assumed this was something they were expecting, it wasn't like they told you anything. You managed to rip off one of the robot's head, leaving the body to drop and using the head to knock another one out of the air. 

     You couldn't communication with Loki without magic and you didn't have comms to speak with the rest of the team, so you kept an eye out for them. If one passed, you would make sure to note where they were going and if it seemed urgent. So far though, you had only spotted Clint on top of a building and Steve taking care of his own enemies. 

     You heard an odd metal sound and looked up, Tony was being dragged to the ground by some of the robots. You sighed, he was the last person who wanted to help. Looking around you realized that no one else was coming. Once Tony hit the ground you headed for him, realizing his comms must be down since no one was helping him. You tackled one of the robots off him, using your dagger to sever a few cords, leaving it to simply turn in circles. You then turned to the other and kicked it off, Tony using his blasters to send it flying in chunks. 

     "You okay?" You ask as he got up. He nodded, not saying anything to you before taking off into the air again. "Ungrateful little shit" you cursed, heading back into the fight. 

***

     The fight was done and you found Loki once more, you both looked like you had gone a few rounds at each other again. 

     "You look like shit, Prince" you taunted. He had a small gash on his forehead and his clothes were rips at the abdomen, giving you a nice view of his muscles. 

     "You don't look much better, Thief" he taunted back. You were a little bloody, mostly your own but there wasn't too much pain. The both of you fell into silence as you walked back to the jet, you were too tired to fight with him at the moment and settled for silence. Once there, you realized you were the first ones back and you both settled on the floor, opposite of each other. You leaned your head against the jet, willing yourself to sleep before the team got back. 

***

     "Wow, they really are out of it" Clint commented, the team was staring at you and Loki after they landed the jet. The two of you were dead to the world as soon as the team entered the jet, finally sleeping after a week of barely getting anything. 

     "I don’t think they have been sleeping well" Thor commented. "And without their magic, it will take a while for them to heal" he added, noticing the battered and bruised shapes you were both in. 

     "Why did they help us?" Natasha asked, equally as weary of the two sleeping forms. 

     "They weren't originally there for us, when I found them they were pulling children out of a collapsing building" Bucky told them. They team seemed stunned, unsure of what to do next. 

     "Well whatever their reasons, it’s a mystery for another time. Thor, do you think you can help me get them to the labs?" Steve asked and Thor nodded, picking up his brother. Steve did the same with you, waiting a moment to see if you woke up, then continuing back into the tower. The rest of the team left shortly after, just as eager to get some well-earned rest. 


	8. Chapter 8

     You woke up next to a beeping sound, noticing that you were laying on an uncomfortable object. You opened your, eyes, letting them adjust to the light before looking around. You noticed Loki beginning to stir on the table next to you, so you looked down, noticing that you were on a table as well. You were still dressed from the battle, a few bruises but they were fading fast. 

     You felt a surge of magic, it was small, but it was there. The bracelet remained intake however, so you looked around for the source as your body healed itself. You sat up just as Loki groaned, getting up as well. 

     "You feel the magic too?" Loki asked, a slight bit of green wrapping around his hand and healing the cuts on his knuckles. The gash on his forehead was no more, he looked like he had been healing quickly as well. 

     "It's faint, but it's there" you agreed. You tried to move off the desk but noticed that you had been hooked up to a heart monitor and an IV. 

     "What is all this?" Loki asked, fiddling with his own wires. You sighed and took yours off, making sure to be careful with the IV needle. Once you were done, you moved over to Loki. 

     "The team must have put them on to monitor our vitals, make sure we weren't dying" you told him, carefully removing everything from his body. 

     "How nice of them" Loki rolled his eyes, his sarcasm evident. You smirked slightly, looking down to ensure that Loki didn't see it. You were finishing on the IV when Bruce rushed into the room, Steve and Bucky following closely behind with a very frazzled looking Thor. 

     "We thought your heart stopped" Bruce explained, calming down once he seen that you were simply removing the equipment. 

     "It's going to take a lot more to put me down" you told him, moving away from Loki as he stood up. Thor looked overjoyed to see his brother up and about again, so much so that he ran over and dragged Loki into a large hug. 

     "Put me down, you overgrown oaf". Without thinking, Loki summoned a dagger and stabbed Thor in the side with it. There was a pained noise and he dropped his brother. 

     "I see they noticed their magic was back" Thor said, trying to smile. "I'm glad that you are awake as well, Lady Asteria" he came over to you, one hand outstretched to grab you in a hug when you summoned a dagger as well, holding it up in front of you. 

     "Hug me and I will slit your throat" you warned as Thor backed up, clearly scared of being stabbed once more. 

     "I told you it wasn't a good idea" Tony quipped, you hadn't even noticed him come in the room. His arms were crossed, glaring at you and Loki. The rest of the team sighed, then tension was obvious. 

     "What wasn't a good idea?" You asked, wanting to know what was going on. 

     "You both did well today, and you weren't healing as quickly as you should have been. We asked that Tony fix the magic dampening cuffs so you could access at least a bit of your magic" Steve explained. You nodded along, knowing now why you could feel the magic but couldn't access all of it. 

     "Not enough for world domination, but enough to ensure that you both healed" Tony spoke dryly. You wanted to thank him, but the glare you were getting right now helped keep your mouth shut. 

     "You two should rest, we'll come get you when supper is ready" Bucky offered with a smile. Rest seemed like a good idea, anything to get out of this awkward situation. 

***

     You entered your shared room with Loki close behind, both of you feeling renewed since getting a bit of your magic back. Neither of you wanted to rest but staying around the team didn't seem like a better option. Loki slammed the door shut behind him, causing you to jump and turn around. He stalked over to you, eyes never leaving yours, until you were inches apart and his hands came to rest on your hips. 

     "Give any thought to taking over the world with me?" He smirked, and you couldn't help it, you rolled your eyes. 

     "You’re like a dog with a bone" you tell him, trying to move away from his grasp but he doesn’t let you. If you didn't have some of your magic back, you were sure his hand prints would have been marked into your skin. 

     "We would be very powerful together, no one could stop us" he whispered, his breath trailing down your neck. "You wouldn't have to keep hiding", your eyes shot open and you pushed him away from you. 

     "What are you talking about" you spat as he chuckled, steadying himself. He simply smirked instead of answering you and you could feel your angry grow. You summoned a dagger, in an instant you had Loki against the wall, blade on his neck. 

     "Oh (Y/N), don't threaten me with a good time" he smirked. 

     "You are getting on my last nerve, Trickster" you threatened, pushing the blade a little to make your point, but it didn't seem to bother him. You wanted to teach him a lesson, but it seemed everything you did only seemed to make him more determined. 

     "Brother, the food is ready!" Thor opened the door and seen the two of you, stuttering for a moment before calling down to Bucky who came running into the room. You felt the metal arm grab you and drag you into him. 

     "What's the problem now, doll?" Bucky asked, specifically to you while Loki rubbed his neck, a bit of blood pooling where you held the dagger to him. 

     "He insists on taunting me, he deserves it" you hiss, aiming all your anger to a very satisfied looking Loki. 

     "Not my fault you're an easy target" Loki informed you. You tried to lunge at him once more but Bucky held you back, damn super soldiers. You heard Bucky sigh as his metal arm clapped you next to him, bringing you into his waist. Though you might have imagined it, you swear you could hear Loki growl. 

     "Do you think you two can behave long enough to eat with the team?" Thor asked, keeping his eye on Loki, ready to step in if his brother decided to act on anything. 

     "No" you both answer. You did not want to have to sit with the team at all, nor did you want to be civil to Loki while the rest of the team acted as if you weren't two ticking time bombs. Bucky sighed and lifted you up. 

     "Too bad, you don't have a choice" he said before bringing you out of the room and towards the kitchen. 

     "I can walk" you heard Loki threaten and then follow. You rolled your eyes again, it was going to be a long meal. 

***

     "Did they destroy more of my tower?" Tony asked, seeing Bucky carry you in and plop you down on a chair. You could see Steve hiding a chuckle while you crossed your arms and pouted like a child being put in time out. 

     "Nothing was destroyed, she simply tried to kill my brother" Thor answered as the two Asgardians entered the kitchen as well, sitting about as far away from you as they could get. 

     "Shouldn't we be encouraging that?" Tony quipped but stopped when he received a glare from Thor, Steve and Bucky. 

     "We don't kill people in this house" Steve informed him and you could see Tony shake his head, muttering something about it being his house underneath his breath. "We’re glad you two are finally joining the team to eat, even if it is against your will" Steve smiled, trying to lighten the mood. 

     He passed around the food and Bucky put the plate in front of you, watching you constantly. He was also beginning to get on your nerves, but at least he was just trying to help. 

     "You need to eat something" he whispered, you reluctantly gave in and grabbed a fork, diving into the potatoes. You see Bucky smile and go back to his own dinner, what you didn't see was Loki glaring at you from across the table. 


	9. Chapter 9

     The morning sun was peeking through your window, forcing you to get out of bed. You used your magic to get ready, happy to have the ease of it back again. You couldn't do too much, but dressing yourself, makeup and doing your hair were things that didn't take a lot of magic. You smiled to yourself, simply having a bit of magic back was putting you in a better mood. 

     You walked out into the small living room, stretching your arms above your head as you did so. You noticed Loki already up and sitting in the corner with a book on his lap. You didn't even care if it was about you this morning, you were determined not to let him ruin your morning. 

     "You seem perky this morning" he commented, not even bothering to look up at you. You looked at him however, he looked good, his magic must have done wonders for him as well. 

     "Don't start with me, prince, I am not letting you ruin my good mood" you warned him, it was the only warning he was likely to get. 

     "Wouldn't dream of it, little thief" he smirked and you rolled your eyes at the nickname, trying not to let it get to you. You were about to respond when a knock interrupted you, who would be looking for you or Loki this early in the morning? You opened the door to reveal a happy looking Bucky. 

     "Good your up" he started. "I was about to go for a run in the park, Steve said it was okay if you wanted to come with me" he offered. The park did sound wonderful and you had been itching to get out of the tower. 

     "Sure, that sound great. Let me just go change" you smile, heading back into your room as Bucky leans on the door way. Loki was no longer concerned with the book in his lap as he glared at the super soldier. It made Bucky uncomfortable but he said nothing and continued to wait, hoping Loki couldn't kill him with a simple glare. 

     You finally came back out, breaking Loki's glance at Bucky, instead, turning his stare to you. You put on simply workout clothes but they hugged your figure and Loki's breath hitched when his eyes traveled down your body. 

     "You alright, prince?" You ask, a little concerned by his odd behaviour, and what it might mean. You had learned to be on edge around him, never knowing when his mood would turn. 

     "Fine", he looked back down at his book while you shrugged your shoulders and headed off with Bucky to the park. 

***

     The run was amazing, the fresh air was definitely what you needed and getting out of the tower felt great. You were ahead of Bucky, not by much, but you had to remind yourself to slow down and let the super soldier catch up.

     "You have quite the stamina" he commented, catching up to you once more. You were coming on the last little bit of your run. 

     "So do you" you comment, you had never known a human to keep up with you. Although Bucky wasn't completely human anymore, not after what Hydra did to him. You shook that thought from your mind, now was not the time to think about it. 

     "How about we race, see who can get to the tower first?" He asked and you looked at his ridiculously. 

     "But you know I'll win" you start instead of giving him an answer. 

     "Not if I cheat!" He yells, running passed you. You laugh but give him the head start, he still wouldn't win. When you think that he is far enough ahead, you begin to really run, pushing all you have to run past him. It doesn't take long and you smile when you pass him, Stark Tower coming back into view. 

     Once you get to the doors, you stop, throwing your hands up in the air in victory as Bucky catches up. He is almost out of breath by the time he reaches the doors. 

     "Told you I would win" you smirk, there wasn't even any competition. Bucky laughed as he caught his breath. 

     "Well you did tell me as much" Bucky admitted. "I'm starving, let's go inside and get something to eat" Bucky offered and you nodded, feeling quite hungry yourself. You walked into the tower, the cool air causing goosebumps on your skin as you made your way upstairs to the kitchen. Once up there, you noticed a few of the Avengers were sitting around, eating or drinking coffee and conversing among themselves. 

     "How was your run?" Steve asked, handing you both a bottle of water. You took it gratefully and chugged the whole thing, you weren't aware of how thirsty you had gotten.  Once you were done, you took a deep breath. 

     "It was great, nice to be out of the tower, even if it was supervised" you smiled and Tony spit out his cereal. 

     "Out of the tower? You let her leave the tower?" Tony yelled at Steve. "What the hell were you thinking, she could have taken off, or worse, hurt someone!" Tony was getting right up in Steve's personal space as Bucky tried to intervene. 

     "Hey, if she wanted to cause trouble she could have. She outran me in moments, but she came back, didn't she?" Bucky tried to gently move Tony away from Steve. 

     "It was my decision to make, Stark" Steve hissed. You watched as they were ready to start a fight and you backed away slowly, this didn't go unnoticed by Bucky who reached out for you. 

     "It's okay, I'm not that hungry anymore. I think I will just go upstairs to read" you made an excuse to get away from the tense situation. You could tell he didn't believe you, but he didn't argue as you ran for the elevator, trying to ignore the shouting in the distance. 

***

     The room was quiet when you came back, you were even sure that Loki had not moved since you left for your run. He looked up when you came in, an annoyed look on his face. 

     "Have fun with your soldier?" He asked, it was hard to ignore the hate in his voice when he spoke of Bucky, but you weren't sure what Bucky ever did to him. 

     "He isn't my solider, and yes, the run was good" you answered too tired and hungry to fight with him about it. Your stomach grumbled and you sighed, it would be at least an hour to two before you would try going downstairs again. You wondered if you would be able to use your magic, but you were sure it would take more than what you had access to. You sighed, upset that you started a fight between Tony and Steve. 

     "You're hungry" Loki stated, as if it hadn't been obvious enough. You plop yourself down on your bed, ignoring the footsteps that told you Loki was following you. "Why aren't you going to get something to eat?"

     "Because Tony is an ass" you answered, it was the short answer but it was true. You could hear Loki clear his throat, he wanted to say something but then obviously thought better of it. You heard the footsteps leave your room, the door open and then close. You briefly wondered why he left but was too tired to follow and try to find out. 

     Within minutes, the door opened once more and Loki's footsteps came back. It wasn't too hard to recognize him, he took long strides and was lighter on his feet than the rest of the team. You felt sometime land near your face and you opened your eyes. In front of you was a box of strawberry pop tarts. You looked up at Loki, confused. 

     "Thor thinks he is clever by hiding them in his room, don't worry, he won't even notice a box is gone" Loki tells you. You hesitate a moment before your stomach grumbles again so you grab the box and open it. 

     "Thank you" you almost whisper but Loki heard you because you see him smile down at you.

     "Is that a smile I see?" You teased, smirking at him. His face fell instantly and tried to look more impartial.

      "Don't get used to it" he answered. He watched you for a moment, as if he is trying to decide what to do. The he plops down on the bed next to you, sitting up against your headboard and you join him, handing him one of the pop tarts from the first package. He takes it and pops a few broken pieces into his mouth. 

     "Now, would you like to discuss the many ways the man of iron is, how did you say it, an ass?" He asks and you can't help but laugh. 

     "Yes, I think that would be a most enjoyable way to spend the day". 


	10. Chapter 10

                You woke up cuddled up in someone’s arms. Your head leaned on his chest, you didn’t need to look up to realise who it was. You tried to push away from him, but his cool arms kept you pinned to him. He was comfortable, you realised, and you found yourself closing your eyes again as you curled yourself into him.

                “Morning, Titan” his voice surprised you, but you didn’t move. It was too late to pretend that you didn’t know what you were doing.

                “Morning, Prince” you responded. You stretched your arms, trying to wake yourself up without the help of coffee. “Did you sleep well?” You asked him. You hadn’t meant to fall asleep on him, but you had to admit, you slept better than you had in quite some time.

                “Surprisingly, yes” he admitted. You narrowed your eyes at him, wondering why he was still being nice. You were going to ask him about it, but Bucky walked into the room.

                “(Y/N)?” His voice sought you out. You tried to move away from Loki but you swear you could hear him growl at Bucky’s voice. He pulled you closer to him, wrapping his arms around you once more. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt” Bucky stuttered, seeing you and Loki in bed.

                “It’s not what it looks like” you pull yourself free from a smirking Loki. He finally let you go, a smug look about him while you pushed Bucky out of the room. You didn’t stop once he was out of the bedroom and pushed him completely out of the apartment and into the hallway. You closed the door and turned around.

                “Are you two together now?” He asked, getting over his original surprise. You rolled your eyes at him, unsure of where this conversation was going.

                “Of course not, we simply fell asleep. Besides, why do you care?” You asked, going straight into defensive mode. It was your go-to when you were cornered, you had been trying to work on it, but it wasn’t an easy habit to break.

                “You know I care about you, I just want what’s best for you” Bucky answered, he looked hurt by your words but didn’t let it affect you.

                “I’m a prisoner here, don’t pretend to care about me” you hissed, moving past him to walk away from the conversation. His metal arm reached out to stop you, he had done it before but this time was different.  You growled and spun around, the magic making you even stronger than you were before. You pushed him into the wall, holding his by his throat.

                “Whoa, what is going on here!” Steve’s voice surprised you. Your eyes didn’t leave Bucky’s, you were cold and calculating. Steve’s gentle touch on your shoulder and Bucky’s hurt eyes brought you back to reality quickly and you stepped away.

                “I’m sorry” you whispered, realizing you had let yourself loose control. Bucky moved towards Steve, you assumed to get out of grabbing distance in case you decided to attack again. “I didn’t mean to hurt you Bucky” you apologize.

                “It’s alright doll, I know it’s not easy being locked up in the tower, but we do care about you. I just want you to be happy” Bucky told you.

                “You won’t be a prisoner here forever, you’ve proven yourself once, just keep doing what you’re doing” Steve smiled you nodded. They both smiled, starring at you and it was beginning to make you uncomfortable when you remembered that Bucky must have sought you out for a reason.

                “Was there something you needed?” You asked Bucky who seemed to finally remember why he came to find you in the first place.

                “Oh yes, we have a mission and we need you and Loki to help out” Bucky said and you nodded.

                “Sound good, I will go get Loki” you tell them. “Briefing in the kitchen?” You question and they both nod their heads. You took a deep breath and walked back in to your apartment. You walked in and noticed Loki had changed, his hair fresh and clean as well.

                “What did the soldier want?” He asked, his annoyed tone was hard to miss as you rolled your eyes.

                “We have a mission” you told him as you used magic to change into someone comfortable and tie your hair up and out of your face.

                “Tell me again why we’re helping our captors?” He asked, sitting down in his reading chair. You sighed, he had a point, you shouldn’t be helping your captors but, in this instance, they were the good guys.

                “Would you rather sit here and do nothing, or do you want to go punch some idiots?” You asked. Loki narrowed his eyes and thought about before nodding his head.

                “You’ve convinced me, let’s go!”.

***

                “Are you two all clear on the plan?”  Steve asked in the Quinjet, on route to the location. You and Loki both nodded your heads. You were to follow the ex-Hydra agents to their base where intel told you that prisoners were being held. You would notify the teams through comms when you got there, and then wait for backup. The only problem was that it was in the middle of town in Germany, so you needed to ensure things stayed quiet.

                You hoped things would work out well, civilians were going to be close, so you had to ensure no one got hurt. Loki seemed content to be out of the tower and ready to get into action. You had to admit, it was a good feeling.

                The only reason you and Loki were going was because no one would recognize you as part of the Avengers team. You could move around in the town without the Hydra agents suspecting you, at least you hoped that’s how it would work out.

                “Are you sure that you two can handle this?” Natasha asked, there was a hint of a warning in her voice.

                “We can handle a few mortals” Loki scoffed. They wanted to argue with him, you could tell, but stayed quiet as you neared the German town. You took a deep breath and got ready. You and Loki had to change, he wore a tux and you chose an emerald green, floor-length dress. Your hair was up and a tracking device around your neck that was disguised as a necklace.

                “Alright, if all goes to plan, we’ll see you in a couple of hours, doll” Bucky smiled, and you nodded, getting ready to leave the Quinjet. They were able to get you close to the museum where the fundraiser was taking place. You got in without any issues, thanks to Tony Stark. The ballroom was full and loud, the elegant music playing in the background.

                “Where do you think the agents are?” You whispered over to Loki. You memorized the pictures Steve showed you, but so far no one matched the photos.

                “Not sure, but I suggest we blend in” Loki smiled, holding out his hand for you to take. You looked at him in surprise.

                “I haven’t danced in thousand years” you tell him, shyly. He grabbed your hand and pulled you closer to him, his other hand landing on your waist.

                “It’s alright darling, just follow my lead” he smirked. So you followed him, moving your hips when his hand pushed a little harder, your feet following his. You had to admit, dancing felt nice, you hadn’t been to a ball in so long. “You’re doing wonderfully darling” he praised you. You looked away, so he wouldn’t see you blush, instead, focused on the others in the crowd.

                “Loki, I think I see them” you whispered, pushing yourself closer to him to get a better view. He followed your eye line and seen three suspicious men leaving the ball.

                “I think you’re right” he agreed. You both broke up as they men left, and you followed them slowly. You tried to ensure that you wouldn’t be noticed, Loki kept you on his arm so you looked like a couple simply taking a walk.

                “So, are you and the winter soldier a thing?” Loki asked, almost causing you to stop walking, but he pulled you along. He smirked at you, happy that he seemed to have caught you off guard.

                “No, why do you ask?” You responded. You kept walking at a brisk pace, keeping up with the men ahead of you.

                “Curiosity, mostly” he shrugged. You were about to answer when one of the men turned around. Loki quickly shoved you against a wall, lips pressed onto yours. Your hands flew into his hair as he leaned his body into yours. When he pulled away, you both looked towards the men who disappeared.

                “That was quick thinking, prince” you praised, catching your breath. He smiled at you but didn’t say anything, instead he moved away and walked over to where the men had been standing.

                “I think this is where they went in” he started, turning on his comms. “We got them” he told the team. You turned your own comms on, getting ready to wait for the team’s arrival.

                “We’ll be there in half an hour” Steve’s voice told you. You leaned against the door and waited, watching Loki pace.

                _“I think we should go in”_ Loki’s voice came in your head. Telepathy didn’t phase you, of course you hadn’t tried it since you had gotten your magic back, but it made sense that it would work.

                _“The team told us to wait”_ you responded, rolling your eyes at his short attention span. Sometimes you weren’t sure how Thor dealt with him, especially when he got bored.

                _“Since when do we listen to the heroes?”_ He asked, laughing to himself. You sighed, damn, he was right.

                “Fine” you said out loud. You materialised a dagger and cut a slit in your dress, giving you more mobility. “Let’s go!”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the wonderful comments and all the kudos; it means so much to know that people are enjoying my fic! I hope you enjoy the next installment :).

     You both entered the building quickly, looking around for any immediate threat, when there was none detected, you continued. Loki stayed in front of you, blocking you from anything that were to surprise you. He also managed to block most of your view, which made you huff in annoyance. The more you walked, the more you wondered where the targets had gone, they shouldn't have been this far ahead of you.

     You noticed some movement in the corner of your eyes and spun around. Your fist connected with face, knocking the man in the ground. Loki turned around quickly, getting ready to fight as the man was getting up from the ground.

     “Go get the others, I got this one” you smirked, playing with the blade in your hand. Loki smirked as well.

     “Have fun”, he left quickly, for once, doing as he was told. The man got up as you turned around, preparing for a simple fight; he was only human after all. You got a few shots in before slamming his head to the wall, knocking the man out. You weren’t sure if you killed him, but the team would find him later either way.

     You took off after Loki, wondering if he needed any help. The building was pretty straight forward, no odd twists or turns, no hidden rooms, no windows and there was only one way you could go. Eventually, you came into an opening. It was a large, round room and in the middle, Loki was taking care of the last soldier. You had never seen him fight before, usually the fights were between the two of you, being on the receiving end of his wrath was a lot different than watching from afar. He moved expertly, you could tell he had impeccable training.

     “Looks like we both had some fun” you laughed as the last man fell to the ground. Loki turned around and gave you a smile, a real smile.

     “So it seems”, he responded, using his magic to rid himself of his weapons as you had done before. You looked around the room, it seemed bare. You weren’t sure what the men were doing here, but that wasn’t part of your job, so you let it go.

     “What the hell is this? You were supposed to stay outside while we handled the rest of the mission!” Tony’s voice came before you say the Iron Man suite walk in. You rolled your eyes, standing a little closer to Loki.

     “They did take care of all the threats, I think they did a good job” Bucky tried and Steve nodded his head.

     “I told you they could be helpful” Steve added but Loki scoffed.

     “Don’t kid yourselves, we were simply bored” Loki explained, they all look to you for a different explanation, but you just shrug. There hadn’t been any alternate reason that you could use, Loki had been bored and insufferable.

     “See? Don’t think they did this out of the goodness of their hearts, they don’t have any good in them” Tony complained, no one seemed willing to fight him on it or agree with him so he threw his arms up in defeat and left. Bucky chuckled a little, once Tony was gone and it was safe.

     “Let’s all get back home”.

***

     The Avengers managed to convince both you and Loki to have dinner with the team. Tony was quiet, not looking at anyone while he ate his food in silence. It irked you, after all you had saved his life before, but he seemed content to hold grudges. You and Loki didn’t speak too much either, only when a question would be directed at you, would you join the conversations. You noticed throughout the dinner, Loki would edge closer to you, while you edged back. You weren’t sure what sort of game he was playing this time, but you wouldn’t give in to him.

     “So what do you think?” Steve asked, shaking you from your thoughts about what Loki was up to. You blinked a few times, trying to remember what he had been talking about.

     “Sorry, what did you ask?” You cursed, you should have been paying attention to the conversation. 

     “We were asking if you would mind joining the team, eventually. We were planning on announcing Loki’s help with the team, we can announce yours at the same time” you shifted uncomfortably in your seat.

     “Oh, I don’t think that’s such a good idea” you tried. Loki looked at you, trying to decipher your sudden change in demeanor.

     “Finally, someone agrees with me” Tony grumbled. He was still staring at his food like someone put him in timeout. You rolled your eyes at him, wanting to punch him for insulting you, but you didn’t.

     “It will take time for people to get used to it, doll. But I think you will both make a great edition to the team” Bucky tried.

     “I said no!” You yelled, the voice coming from deep in your body. You slammed your hand on the table and paused as everyone’s stunned expressions. “I’m sorry” you said quietly before leaving the kitchen. You vaguely saw Loki getting up from his chair as well but he didn’t follow you.

***

     “She won’t want to speak with you” Loki held out his hand to stop Bucky and Steve from going after you. They didn’t seem to believe him but he forced them back.

     “Whatever’s bothering her, we can help” Bucky was adamant and Loki rolled his eyes. He didn’t move, only crossed his arms in annoyance.

     “Great, while you three argue how to help the angry Titan, I’m going to get a drink and try to forget this is even happening” Tony spat, walking away from the commotion in the kitchen.

     “Maybe we should go with him” Bruce whispered around to the table. Everyone slowly mumbled an agreement and left the kitchen, hoping to avoid the intense conversation.

     “I can help her” Bucky started, once the room was cleared. Bucky went to move around Loki, this made Loki let out an almost inhuman growl in dominance.

     “Trust me, she will not admit to anything. She is hiding from something and she doesn’t trust you enough to tell you” Loki spat, still standing in Bucky’s way. Steve was quick to push Bucky back slightly, trying to defuse the situation.

     “So she told you?” Bucky was surprised by this, he wasn’t sure how to react but Loki chuckled.

     “Don’t be ridiculous, I’m just clever enough to figure out details on my own” Loki smirked, he was winning, although what he was winning, he wasn’t sure.

     “Fine” Bucky conceded, backing away from the Asgardian. Loki nodded his head before disappearing into a puff of green smoke.

***

     You huffed, throwing a pillow across the room. You were frustrated with yourself and with Avengers beginning to question you. You were supposed to be a prisoner, not a teammate. You threw another pillow to the floor before dropping to the ground.

     “So are you ever going to tell us what’s going on with you, or are you going to settle for beating up the furniture?” Loki asked. You looked up and seen him leaning on the doorway, his arms crossed as he chuckled at you.

     “Go to hell, Trickster” you spat. You thought about getting up, getting in his face and threatening him, but you weren’t sure you were up to the task.

     “Still lashing out, I see” he laughed and you rolled your eyes, which was getting to be a habit of yours. When you didn’t say anything, Loki held out his hand to you, offering to help you up. You swat it away and get up on your own. “Do you want to hit me, will that make you feel better?” Loki asked, moving away from you a little. You glared at him, honestly thinking about his offer.

     “No” you decided. It probably wouldn’t help, but maybe training would. “I think I’m just going to go work out” you sighed.

     “Good, we can spar” Loki smirked before grabbing your hand. In an instant, you were in the training room in your sports bra and leggings. You wrists and hands were wrapped and you saw that Loki’s were too. His outfit was different though, he decided to go shirtless and only had on his pants.

     “Fine, bring it on” you gave in. Loki moved quickly, not giving you any time to reconsider your options. Soon you were on the defensive, trying to block his attacks and get in a few of your own. Your head wasn’t in it though and you struggled to keep up with him. You tried to catch your breath as you got a hit in but soon you found yourself on the floor with Loki on top of you.

     “You’re not keeping your guard up” Loki growled at you. He got up and hauled you up to your feet. “Get out of your head and fight me like a Titan” he spat. You got your footing again, trying to prepare yourself for another blow. Instead, Loki waited, he waited for you to catch your breath and go after him. He dodged your hits easily, but still didn’t attack. It was getting on your nerves and your punches got harder, but sloppier.

     “Why are you doing this” you yelled after the last of five kicks missed him. You yelled in frustration before you felt Loki grab your wrists and bind them behind your back. His body was flushed against yours as he held you.

     “So angry” he teased as you tried to thrash around to get out of his grip.

     “Come on Titan, I know you’re more powerful than this, show me” he taunted. You glared at him pushed your arms free, knocking him back.

     “You’re such an arrogant asshole” you laughed but you actually felt better. He smiled at you, wrapping his arm around your hips and bringing you closer. You put your hands on his toned chest, smiling as well.

     “Oh, I know my darling, but you worked out your anger, didn’t you?” Damn, he had a point and you didn’t want to admit it. “Alright, you don’t need to admit that I was right” he gave in and you rolled your eyes. Instead of answering him, you gave him a different offer.

     “Let’s get some rest”.


	12. Chapter 12

     You sat in your room with Loki, each on a chair opposite from each other and reading. It was a quiet day in the tower, no missions and no training. You were taking full advantage of the quiet day and reading some of the books you had been eyeing. Loki seemed just as content with this idea and settled in shortly after you did. At first, you thought it may have been awkward, but it turned out to be quite relaxing. That is, until someone's brother came knocking. Thor's loud voice made you groan but you weren't willing to put your book down just yet. 

     "He's your brother, you deal with him" you told Loki who rolled his eyes and put his book down. 

     "It's not like I chose him" Loki told you before opening the door to Thor's smiling face. You gather that the god of thunder must have been sent by the others to check that you and Loki hadn't escaped. 

     "Brother, Asteria, nice to see you two getting along" he praised. You went to argue with him but he cut you off before you could. "Stark is throwing a party tonight, some sort of gathering to raise money, you and Asteria are required to come" Thor announced. Now you put down the book and narrowed your eyes at him. 

     "No one wants us there, Thor, especially Stark" you reminded him. 

     "He does seem to hate us" Loki agreed with you. Thor didn't seem to know what to say to this, it definitely wasn't the answer he had been expecting, although you weren't sure why. Neither you or Loki made an effort to be around the others, you actually would go out of your way to avoid them. 

     "Please brother, for me? The rest of the team would like you both to feel included if you are to join the Avengers" Thor tried, pleading desperately with his brother as you tried hard to concentrate on your reading; it wasn't working. Eventually, you snapped the book shut and glared at the two bickering brothers. 

     "If we agree to go to this nonsense, will you leave?" You asked him, finally fed up with this conversation. 

     "Yes, of course, I will leave you be until the party" Thor agreed quickly. 

     "Then fine, we'll be there. When is it?" Thor's face lit up like a light, making you regret your decision almost instantly, Loki seemed to feel the same way by the look of disgust on his face. 

     "You won't regret it, I will see you both tonight at eight!" Thor announced before leaving quickly. 

     "Tonight? Fucking asshole" you cursed, you had hoped it was still a week or two away. It would have given you time to prepare to spend an evening among humans and the Avengers. Instead, your hope for a quiet day was ruined. 

     "I'm surprised you caved so quickly, Titan, must be going soft" Loki teased, sitting back in his chair but not bothering to pick his book back up. 

     "Best be nice to me Trickster, I will be the only entertainment you have tonight" you smirked at him, your book long forgotten as well. 

***

     The day went by quicker than you had hoped. Loki had decided on training and you reluctantly agreed, knowing if would help with your frustrations later on at the party. You were sweaty now, and tired as Loki headed up to your shared room to get ready. You, however, opted to go get a bit to eat, promising to bring something back for Loki. 

     The halls were quiet, not to your surprise really, you assumed everyone would be getting ready for the party. You walked into the kitchen, thankful that no one  was there and grabbed a few protein bars that were in the cupboard. Steve ate them by the handful, so there were always new boxes available whenever you would look. 

     "Shouldn't you be getting ready for the party, I thought Thor said you were coming?" Wanda asked. You hadn't even realized that she walked in. You looked over, noticing that she was in a housecoat with her hair up. Some curls framed her face and you smirked. 

     "Well, don't you look adorable", she blushed and stammered out a thank you. You hadn't spent too much time around Wanda, and she never sought you out either. You would see her at the shared meals you reluctantly went to, but she and Vision seemed to keep to their own as much as you and Loki. 

     "Wanda, I think I found the-" Natasha's voice stopped when she seen you in the kitchen as well. "Sorry, I didn't realize anyone else was in here. Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Natasha asked as well and you rolled your eyes. 

     "Yes, I suppose so" you answered, moving past them to head back to your room. 

     "We can help" Wanda's voice stopped you in your tracks. You turned over to look at the two women once more and Wanda seemed shocked that you actually turned to listen. "If you want, of course" she added, as if that would soften her hasty offer. 

     "She's right, we can do your hair for you" Natasha tried to help her teammate. They both looked anxious as your gaze went over both of them, trying to tell if they had an ulterior motive. They must have, but nothing that you could tell without your magic. 

     "I think I can get ready for a part on my own" you told them, then used your magic to head back upstairs, disappearing in a cloud of silver. 

     "What took you so long?" Loki asked when you landed back in the room. You threw one of the protein bars at him and noticed he was only in a towel. You tried not to look as you went to the bathroom, in desperate need of a shower as well. 

     "Widow and the witch cornered me, wanted to help me get ready" you yelled out to him. You could hear him laugh about it but there was no reply, so you closed the bathroom door. You turned on the hot water and stepped in, letting it wash away the evidence of your work out. You took your time, reveling in the heat. You weren't sure how long you managed to stay in there, but sooner than you would have liked, you seen Loki's magic and a clone appeared in the bathroom. 

     "My idiot brother will be here soon, are you getting out on your own or will I have to drag you out. I am fond of that second option" Loki's clone smirked and you rolled your eyes. 

     "I'm getting out" you told him before throwing a bottle at the clone's head, making him disappear. You reluctantly shut off the water and got out. You thought about what you wanted in your head and then used your magic to change and do your hair. Puffs of silver washed over you, making a wonderful dress for you. You spun in the mirror, smiling at yourself. The silver top accented your breast and turned into the black bottom that went to your feet. Your hair was just down and curly, which you gathered at the base of your head and pulled to the side, out of the way. You heard Loki cry out for you to hurry up again so you left the bathroom. 

     Loki was dressed in a black suit with a green tie, simply yet elegant. He was fiddling with something on his wrists and didn't notice to walk in. 

     "Do you need help with something, prince?" You taunted. 

     "Of course not, I am perfectly capable of-" his voice stopped as he looked up. His expression was blank and you wish you had enough magic to hear what he was thinking. 

     "Brother, Asteria, time to go!" Thor's loud voice broke you both out of your heads. You both sighed, not looking forward to the evening. Loki held out his arm for you to take. 

     "Let's get this evening over with, shall we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next few chapters are going to be interesting, stay tuned!


	13. Chapter 13

     "You both look wonderful!" Steve commented as you and Loki made you way down Stark Tower on your way to the party. You had never really looked on the lower floors of the tower before, you just assumed it wouldn't be of interest to you, and you were right. The ballroom was beginning to fill up with people and soft music played in the surrounding areas.

     "Are you sure we have to be here, Captain?" You asked, still looking for a way out of this predicament. You could see Loki try and hide a smile from you but failing.

     "Yes, it's important for you both to interact with the team and other humans" Steve tried but he could tell both of you already disagreed with him.

     "Wow doll, you look amazing!" Bucky's voice hit you before you noticed him coming towards you, arms outstretched for a hug. Loki pulled you closer to him and glared at the super solider, daring him to come closer. "Whoa, down boy" Bucky teased, backing away from you. You chuckled and hit Loki on the arm.

     "Don't be ridiculous, prince" you told him, hugging Bucky despite the angry glare that was sure to be fixed on you. When you broke away, you backed into Loki accidently, not realizing he was right behind you. You went to jump away, but he grabbed your hips and moved you back to his side. You were going to slap him away, but you remembered you were in public and you were trying to behave, for a little while at least.

     "Don’t let these two destroy my party, Cap" Tony's said as he passed by, clearly not impress that either of you were there. The feeling was definitely mutual, you thought.

     "Why don’t you two go and mingle, don’t worry about Tony" Steve offered, chasing after Stark the moment he was done talking. Bucky laughed and followed Steve, nodded to both of you as he passed. You and Loki were alone again and you noticed green mist wrap around his hand and soon a glass of red wine was being held out to you.

     "Thank you" you said, gladly taking a cup. Both of you stuck to the back of the room; mostly watching the guests and making idle conversation. Everything seemed to be going smoothly for Tony, who looked a lot more comfortable than you had ever seen him in his Iron Man suit. This seemed to be what he was meant to do.

     "Would you care to dance?" Loki asked as you finished your wine and it disappeared from you. You thought about it for a moment before taking his hand.

     "Why not, it's not like they're going to let us leave anytime soon" you laughed as he led you out onto the dance floor. You could hear the murmurs, mostly of Loki, they still didn't know who you were. If he heard them, it didn't seem to bother him as he held you close. You tried to ignore the other people as well but it was getting harder as the  crowd grew. The song was ending.

     "May I cut in?" A voice startled you and you looked away from Loki. A man you didn't recognize was standing in front of you both, hand outstretched. He looked handsome enough, for a human, but you weren't interested. Before you could say anything, Loki gripped you tighter and glared at the now terrified man.

     "No" Loki growled. The man seemed stunned for a moment before muttering an apology and taking off in the opposite direction. You chuckled as you watched him scurry away and passing Thor who was coming closer to you.

     "Brother, please try not to scare the mortals" Thor told Loki and then looked at you for a moment. "You as well, have fun and behave" Thor scolded.

     "Sorry Thor, can't do both" you responded, earning a chuckle and agreement from Loki. Thor shook his head in defeat and left you both. Another wine glass appeared in your hands as you both walked off the dance floor. You looked around the room again, this time noticing a camera crew and your face turned white.

     "What's wrong?" Loki asked. He followed your eyes to the camera crew and it seemed to register.

     "No one said there would be cameras here" you hissed, looking for a way out of the ballroom. Steve and Bucky were too close to the doors for you to make an escape, and if you used magic, they would know instantly that you bailed. You weighed your options until Loki began to pull your hand, leading you along the wall.

     "Stay quiet" he told you, so you did, trying not to draw attention to yourself. He stopped for a moment, before bringing you in front of him and pushing you into a small door way. You moved in quickly, the small hallway soon opened up to a large kitchen with waiters and cooks alike staring at your both.

     "Just ignore us" you told them as Loki hauled you to the back of the room. Taking another turn, you found another corridor with stairs. You moved up them quickly, wondering where he was taking you. Soon, the stairs stopped and you ended up on a small balcony, overlooking the ballroom.

     "The cameras shouldn't be able to see you here" Loki explained. You were high enough that technically, you hadn't left the party but no one would be able to really see you.

     "This is great" you told him, watching the people dance. You could see all the Avengers from here as they went along with Tony's party, mingling and drinking.

     "Oh, looks like my brother is pulling out the Asgardian mead, this should get interesting really quick" Loki pointed out. Sure enough, Thor was pouring liquid out of a flask and calling the other Avengers over. They were going to be sick, you just knew it. "Were the drinks on Olympus just as strong?" Loki asked. You looked at him for a moment, wondering how he knew. "Oh, don't give me that look Titan. You're not from Earth, it was an easy guess" he laughed.

     "I suppose it is. Yes, they were quite a big stronger than the drinks here on Earth, I imagine they would be quite the same as the ones on Asgard" you told him, watching Tony ask for another drink and Thor trying to keep it away from him. You learned on the balcony, hands gripping the wood railing.

     "Do you miss it?" He asked, his eyes not moving from the scene below him. Tony got his drink and began staggering as he took it, yelling about a dance-off and challenging his scared looking guests.

     "Very much so" you answered honestly, instead of avoiding his questions. He hadn't been expecting that. His hand gently reached over, placing his on top of yours. You stared at it for a moment before looking away, fighting the blush that was soon to be coming out. You heard Loki chuckle.

     "Do you like me, Titan?" Loki taunted and you scoffed, moving your hand away from his.

     "You wish" you teased. You waited for Loki to retort, this was the way you're usually bickering started. You glared at him, waiting. Instead, Loki took this moment and looked at you, staring into your eyes like nothing else in the world mattered to him.

     "Maybe I do".


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning** Smut ahead, you don't want to read it, then feel free to skip the Chapter (it won't affect your understanding of the plot).

     You weren't sure what to do next, you simply stared at Loki. You willed words to come, any words at all would do. Loki seemed to take this silence as a bad omen, his soft eyes turning into a scowl relatively quickly. He began to walk away before you were even able to register that he left, and you cursed your brain for processes that information so slow. You ran after him, hoping he wouldn’t use magic to get away from you. The kitchens were empty now, signalling to you that the party should be nearing its end. It definitely wasn't as loud as it had been before. 

     You leave the kitchen, he isn't in the hall, so you run again. You burst out of the corridor and look around. People were leaving, the camera crew you had been so terrified of was packing up but all you could think of was Loki. You couldn't see him anywhere. 

     "No, you oaf, I do not want to drink" you heard Loki's voice snap, you assume at his brother. You turn to the hallway to find him fending off a larger drunk Thor at the doorway. Your heart soars, you weren't too late. You quickly walk over, noticing the ballroom was empty with the exceptions of the drunk Avengers. Once Loki notices you, he scowls again. 

     "Asteria, come drink with us!" Thor calls out, trying to stagger his way to you. You narrowly avoid him falling on you. 

     "Not now, Thor" you grumble as you grab Loki's arm, forcing him to turn around. He does but grabs you by the throat, pushing you against the wall. He doesn't push hard enough to cut off any airways, but he is angry. 

     "Let her go, Loki" Thor's voice boomed, trying to sound soberer than he actually was. You rolled your eyes. 

     "Go away Thor, or I swear I will stab you!" You tell Thor, this seemed to be enough for his liquor addled mind and he backs away from you both, heading back into the ballroom with the others. Loki looks back at you once his brother is gone, his scowl not softening. 

     "What do you want Titan, I think you made your thoughts about me perfectly clear" Loki pushes a little on your throat and you know that words won't work now. Instead, you grab his face and crash your lips onto his. His hand moves from your throat to your hips, pulling you into him before reaching around and lifting you from your feet. Your legs wrap around his body, you were trapped between him and the wall. 

     "I'm sorry it took so long, I didn't know how to respond" you breathed out while he began kissing down your neck. 

     "Shut up" he whispers. His hand retched up, pulling the strap of your dress down and giving your shoulder a bite. When he did this, you arched your back and rubbed yourself on the front of his trousers, causing a moan to escape from his lips.

     "Make me" you tell him, taunting him. He kisses you roughly, sure to leave your lips swollen and red. His hands are all over you, exploring every inch that he is able to get reach. 

     "You have no idea what you do to me, I want you so badly" he whispered. He grabbed you from the wall and sat you down on shelf in the hallway, moving everything aside. 

     "Then take me" you challenged. You pushed the jacket off his shoulders and grabbed his tie, bringing him closer to you and kissing along his jawline. You unbuttoned his shirt, leaving it wide open for you as he pulled the other strap of your dress down, revealing your breasts to him. Loki pulled you closer to the edge of the shelf, your legs spread for him as he dipped down, moving your dress out of the way. 

     "No underwear" he smirked, "my kind of woman". You didn't have time to retort as he delved into you, licking and sucking at your clit. In what felt like no time at all, he was back at your mouth, kissing you. 

     "I would love to take my time with you, but I fear I cannot wait" he said, unzipping his trousers. In one quick moment, he was sheathed inside of you, causing you to groan in pleasure and rake your nails down his back. Loki cursed and stilled for moment, giving you both some time to adjust before he quickly began pounding into you. It was rough, needy and passionate. Loki's hands reached under your skirt and began to play with you, it wasn't long before you were coming undone, his name on your lips like a prayer. 

     "How lovely you moan my name" he praised, pulling you as close to him as he could. It wasn't long before he was following in bliss, stilling as he did. You both stayed still, catching your breath and trying to get your mind to catch up with the turn of events. 

     "Well, this sure was a surprise" you giggled. He chuckled and nodded, laying his forehead on your shoulder for a moment. 

     "When I get you back to our room, I am going to ravish you" he bit your lip and you could feel him getting hard once more as he began kissing you. The moment was soon ruined as you heard retching in the ballroom. Loki sighed and moved away from you. 

     "I think we should take care of the drunks first" you told him. 

     "We should just leave them, it would teach them a lesson" he tried as he fixed his pants. You chuckled, it was an amusing idea. You fixed your dress, making sure you were somewhat presentable. Loki buttoned his shirt halfway and took off his tie, throwing it with his jacket on the floor. 

     "Come on, prince" you beckoned. You both headed back into the ballroom. Natasha and Bruce were sleeping on one of the couches; Steve, Bucky and Thor were having a lively conversation filled with hand movements; and Tony was throwing up into a plant. 

     "Where are the witch and the red guy?" Loki asked, as you both took a head count. You shrugged your shoulders. 

     "As long as they aren't passed out in the corridor, throwing up on themselves, I don't care" you told him. In truth, they had probably already went back up to the tower, you hadn't seen them for a while. 

     "Well then, let’s get this over with so we can get to bed" Loki said, a suggestive smirk cast your way and you chuckled, but agreed. Loki went to grab the two sleeping forms, hauling them from the couch and each over a shoulder. You, marched up to two super soldiers and one Asgardian who were still too involved in conversation to notice your presence. 

     "Alright, time for bed, all three of you" you told them, stopping their conversation. Thor stumbled a little once his hand movements stopped, it seemed as though they were keeping his balance in check. 

     "But we feel fine (Y/N)" Bucky whined. 

     "No excuses, now march yourselves up to bed. Don't make me force you" you threatened, your eyes darkening. All three quickly agreed but grumbled the whole way. You looked around and then caught Loki before he left. "Have you seen Clint?" Loki shook his head, that was odd. 

     "Boo!" You heard someone yell behind you. You turned around punch the person in the face, before realizing it was Clint. Loki howled with laughter as you calmed down. Blood poured from Clint's nose. "You broke my nose!" He cried. You rolled your eyes and grabbed his chin, moving his hands you looked at his nose. 

     "Relax, it isn't broken. Now, put some ice on that and off to bed" you told him. It didn’t take long to convince him as Loki left as well, getting the other two to bed. The only one left was Tony, who was near passed out. You grabbed him from the plant and hauled him to his feet, hoping he would be able to help you out a little. Turns out, you were wrong, his legs did not seem to want to work. You settled for hauling him off his feet and over your shoulder as Loki did with the others. 

     "I don't like you, put me down" Stark mumbled, if he was going to be sick again, you were sure that you would murder him. 

     "I don't like you either Stark, but it's time for bed" you told him. 

     "Well that's not very nice" he answered. How you hoped he would just fall asleep. You climbed into the elevator, it was a quiet ride up and you were close to Tony's room. You had quickly mapped out of the entire tower, even if you hadn't been there physically, you knew where everything important was. Although, you would have to revisit that since he seemed Loki knew of a few corridors that had not been on the maps. 

     "Natasha and Bruce are in their respective beds, Steve and Bucky went silently to their rooms and Thor is a pain in my ass" Loki smiled when he seen you coming. "How are you making out with the oh-so-tough man of iron?" 

     "Same as Thor, he is a pain in my ass" you told him, opening Tony's door and going inside. He was not going to be happy about this tomorrow, if he even remembered. 

     "You two are very mean" Tony pouted as you threw him on his bed. He bounced for a few moments before he began taking his pants off. 

     "Oh, I do not want to see that" you said, quickly turning and heading for the exit. Loki had an amused look on his face as he brought you into him. He kissed you lightly, his hand cupping your face before moving to the back of your neck. 

     "Now, I believe I promised to ravish you". 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff for everyone :)

     You woke up late, in a tangle of Loki and his green sheets. You turned around and cuddled into Loki's chest. He wrapped his arms around you and pulled to closer to him.

     "Did you sleep well?" He asked. You looked up at him, noticing how sleepy he looked as he tried to wake himself up.

     "Yes, very well, you?"

     "Better than I have in a long time" he admitted. You smiled and pushed the blanket off of you slightly, trying to sit up. "Where do you think you're going?" Loki asked, pulling you back down into him. You laughed and turned around, propping yourself up on the elbows.

     "As much as I would love to stay in bed all day, we worked up quite the appetite last night and should probably eat" you told him, just as his stomach grumbled.

     "I suppose you're right" he laughed, letting you go. You used magic to change into loose pyjama pants and a small tank top, there was no need to dress in anything fancy, it was going to be a quiet day. Loki simply put on pyjama pants, mirroring your relaxed demeanour.

     "We should also check on the hung-over Avengers, make sure none of them died during the night" you added as you left the room, heading down to the kitchen.

     "Should probably make sure bird brain's nose is still attached as well" he snickered. You laughed as well.

     "You enjoyed that far too much" you tell him. You heard groaning when you came into the kitchen. With the exception of Wanda and Vision, everyone looked more like zombies than people. You looked around and tried not to laugh. "How are Earth's mightiest heroes today?" You say, louder than you would usually talk. Tony made a shushing noise, and you couldn't help but laugh.

     "I don't remember going to bed last night" Bruce whispered, head on the counter with a coffee in front of him.

     "Yeah, that was us, we put you all to bed last night" you offered before Loki could make a coherent comment on the situation. Some of them looked shocked, others embarrassed and a few of them suspicious of your motives.

     "Did you also undress me?" Tony smirked and Loki glared at him, stepping in front of you slightly. Thor seemed to be the only one to notice the new behaviour, but didn't comment on it, yet anyway.

     "No, you did that all on your own. We ran out as soon as you started" Loki answered for you, making Tony go white.

     "You broke my nose" Clint pipped up from the couch, ice bag still on his nose. Natasha snickered from her spot on the couch.

     "It's not broken, plus you deserved it for trying to scare me" you started. "Keep complaining and I will break it" you threatened, this seemed to shut him up. You walked into the kitchen where Steve was making breakfast, so you grabbed two plates for you and Loki.

     "Are you two up for training today?" Steve asked as he filled the plate.

     "Are you?" You asked, he looked better than the others, but still not too much like himself. Bucky and Thor on the other hand, seemed to be exactly the same as always, currently stuffing their face with anything they could fit on a fork.

     "Of course, as soon as he gets some food in him, he will be fine" Bucky told you, trying not to spit food out. You see Loki move away from him and closer to you as you brought him his plate.

     "I guess that's fine then" you told them, shrugging your shoulders. You turned to Loki, whispering in his ear. "So much so my plan of a quiet day in bed" you smirked as he pouted.

     "I was looking forward to that" he sighed, his pouted lip making you want to kiss him but you restrained yourself.

     "What the hell is this?" Tony asked, pointing back and forth between you and Loki. You both tried you best to look innocent and continue eating.

     "I haven't a clue what you are talking about" you tried. Tony looked like he didn't believe you, he was always suspicious of you anyway.

     "I'm keeping my eye on you two" he threatened.

     "Oh, I'm so scared" Loki taunted and you snickered into your food. Steve and Bucky both gave you a disapproving look. "We should get ready for training, will meet you down there" Loki said before placing a hand on your shoulder, disappearing along with him.

***

     "I think they're on to us" you laughed as you fell on the bed, Loki falling on top of you. Loki's hand reached down and grabbed your thigh, pulling it up next to his hips.

     "Oh please, if last night is any indication, they are clueless" he told you. You rolled your eyes, not wanting to give into him.

     "They were drunk, they won't be as clueless next time" you try to tell him. You stop his hand from caressing your thigh and flipping him over, so you were straddling him.

     "Next time? You mean I'll get to fuck you in the halls again?" Loki propped himself up on his elbows, a mischievous smile on his face. You hit his chest lightly.

     "You know what I mean, trickster" you tried to scold him. He smirked and grabbed you as he got up off the bed. He let you jump down, back onto your own feet while he smirked at you.

     "Care to make a bet then?" You could see the playfulness in him and you were tempted to tell him no, but what fun would that be.

     "You're on, rules?" You asked. Loki thought about it for a moment, pacing back and forth in your bedroom.

     "We can be as suggestive as we want, touching or words are fine. No kissing in public or fucking, even they could figure that one out" Loki explained and you nodded your head.

    "How long are we giving them?" You asked, trying to figure out how you were going to win. You did not like losing.

    "Two weeks should be enough time, I think" he said and you nodded your head, agreeing to the terms.

     "So, what do I get when I win?" You ask, waving your hands and changing into your training clothes, the normal sports bra and leggings.

     "I would give you the world wrapped up in a bow if that's what you want" Loki said and you rolled your eyes.

     "I thought I said no to taking over the world" you laughed, wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing yourself closer to him.

     "Can't blame me for trying" he smiled. "What do you want, IF you win?" He asked and you thought about it. It could be anything, you assumed, so what did you want?

     "I want an adventure, out of the tower" you told him and he nodded his head before his smirk turned mischievous once again.

     "And if I win, I want you on your knees" he whispered before biting your neck lightly. You stopped yourself from moaning as he kissed up your neck and your jawline. He gave you a quick kiss on your lips before pulling away to see your excitement.

    "Let the games begin".


	16. Chapter 16

     "I swear, Steve is trying to kill us" you complain, waking up in bed next to Loki again. You were sore from what felt like non-stop training. You tried to stretch and whimpered when everything hurt. You would be fine by this afternoon, but that didn't change the pain your muscles were in at this moment. "Maybe that's their plan, they are trying to exercise us to death". Loki snickered and pulled you in close. 

     "That would be a terrible idea, we heal far too fast" Loki advised and you shrugged, you still thought it might be one of their plans. 

     "Maybe it's Tony's idea, he hates us" you pointed out as you pulled the covers off yourself, getting ready for the day. Loki groaned but did the same. 

     "I think Stark would come up with some other creative way to get rid of us, not exercises us to death" Loki retorted. You just shrugged and got dress in a low-cut top and tight pants, putting your hair since it was a mess from last night's shower and subsequent activities. You had been dressing in ways that would purposely drive Loki mad, you were determined to win the bet. "Maybe you should wear something else". 

     "What, you don't like seeing the goods?" You smirked, lowering your torso slightly so he could get a better look. He inhaled deeply but kept himself control. 

     "Quite the contrary, I love seeing your body but I do not enjoy others seeing what I have claimed as my own", you could tell he was trying not to get angry. You have had this fight over and over again. 

     "I'm not yours yet darling, you have to earn the right to call me yours" you taunted and he moved closer to you, he took a domineering stance in front of you. 

     "Stubborn Titan" was all he said, you smiled, only causing him more rage as it didn’t bother you in the least bit. 

     "Arrogant prince" you retorted. He was about to launch into something else when a knock on the door came and Bucky's face popped in. 

    "Breakfast is ready" he started, taking in both your stances. "What are you two fighting about now?" He asked, you smiled at Bucky. 

    "None of your business, Barnes" Loki seethed at the man. If anything, his hatred towards the super soldier had gotten even worse. You rolled your eyes and headed towards Bucky, ignoring Loki's eyes staring at the back of your head. 

     "Let's go prince, breakfast will cheer everyone up" you called out when you noticed he wasn't following you. Loki sighed but ultimately followed you. 

     Breakfast was uneventful, to make up for your boredom, you teased Loki. Gently caressing his thigh, dropping things so you could bend down and pick them up; all resulting in a very cranky Trickster. He tried to pay you no mind, and every time he did, you would ensure he was brought back to the conversation. 

     "Somethings going on with you two, I don't like it" Tony said, he had been watching both you very carefully. You were sure he was expecting the worse, maybe a hostile takeover of Earth or plans to kill the Avengers. Either way, Tony was your best chance of winning your bet. 

     "I am simply ensuring that Loki participates in the conversation, Steve says it's important" you tell Tony innocently, giving Loki a small smirk. Steve quickly agrees, going into the fact that the two of you were going to be part of the team soon and communication was important. You ignored the speech, you knew it by heart now and instead, focused on Loki. 

     While the others were busy, your hands crept up Loki's thigh. You reached a bulge in his pants and tried not to smile, you had hardly done anything. 

 _"You are going to be the death of me, Titan"_ Loki's voice rang out in your head and you stifled a chuckle. 

     " _Oh, you have no idea"_ you responded. You took your hand away as Steve was finishing his speech, pretending you had not been up to anything. As Tony started into why the two of you could not be trusted, you went to place your hand back on Loki but he grabbed it. He glared at you, anger and lust filling his eyes. 

     "Loki, let the Lady go" Thor spoke forcefully. You hadn't realized the others were looking now, your eyes locked onto Loki's. You smirked and waited for Loki's reaction. 

     "No, fighting at the table! We don’t need you two breaking the kitchen!" Tony yelled out, causing Loki to smirk at you. 

     "Fine, we'll handle this somewhere else", then you landed in your room, hands tied behind your back. You struggled to get free, but his magic was just as strong as your own, especially while it was bound by Tony's machines. "You have been trying my patience, Titan", Loki said as he dipped a hand into your pants. 

     "Why don't you just give up the bet then?" You tried to concentrate as Loki worked you. His finger slipped inside easily as the palm of his hand pressed on your clit. 

     "I think you should feel just as I do, that's seems to be fair punishment" Loki grinned, you didn’t understand what he meant at first. The pressure of his palm and the movement in his hand was clouding your judgement as your release was building. Just when you thought you couldn't take it anymore, footsteps came rushing up the stairs and he removed his hand. You groaned as the restraints left you and you fell on your hands and knees. Your cheeks were red and you were catching your breath when Thor and Bucky busted the door down. You looked up and glared at Loki as he was licking his fingers clean. 

     "Loki, what did you do?" Thor asked, as Bucky moved over to help you up. 

     "Nothing she didn't deserve", his smirked dropped when Bucky grabbed you however, helping you to your feet. "Helpful as always, super soldier" Loki glared at Bucky. You laughed at this, stunning both men in the room. 

     "Jealous, are we?" You knew you shouldn't poke fun at Loki, but it was oh so fun and you simply couldn't help yourself. Before Loki could retort, Steve called out to everyone in the tower. 

    "Training room, twenty minutes!". 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter before the weekend, I hope you enjoy! (I apparently do not have the self control to make people wait haha).

     "Why exactly am I here?" Bruce asked as everyone gathered in the training rooms. Bucky and Thor insisted that you and Loki stay away from each other, that didn't stop either or you from snickering at the others, joking in your own heads. "I don't train, the Hulk just does his thing" Bruce finished. 

     "Me too, I have the suit, I don't need to train for that" Tony pipped up. You rolled your eyes, he could probably use a little more training. 

     "You may not need to train, but you still need to bond with the team. We need to trust each other if we are going to fight alongside one another. That includes trusting everyone" Steve narrowed his eyes at you and Loki. 

     "Don't know why you're looking at us Cap, we can fight together and hate each other at the same time, we've proven that" you smile sweetly. 

     "You don't fight well with the rest of the team though" Steve pointed out and you rolled your eyes. 

 _"I fight well enough to save Tony's life though"_ Loki couldn't help but snicker out loud at your grumbling, and you smiled. 

     "What's so funny, Reindeer Games?" Tony question, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Loki smiled at you quickly, then looked back to Tony. 

     "Nothing you would understand, Stark", Tony looked like he was ready to kill Loki. Not that it was any different from the normal look of disdain that Tony threw at the two of you, you were getting used to it. 

     "See, this is what I mean, this has to stop" Steve tried again. "I have been looking up ways that we can strengthen our bond as a team" Steve was interrupted by everyone groaning. 

     "No, I told you this was a bad idea, Steve, no one wants to do team building exercises!" Natasha scolded. You were beginning to get a headache, maybe staying in the prisoner hadn't been the worst choice after all. 

     "We all got along fine until the two psychopaths were let out of their prison. They're the dysfunctional ones, not us. I'm actually surprised they haven't killed each other yet" Tony spat, glaring at you and then Loki. 

     "To be fair, I keep trying but no one lets me get very far" you added, earning yourself a glare from both Loki and Tony. 

     " _You didn't look like you were trying to kill me last night when you were screaming out my name"_ Loki taunted, and you tried not to think about the memory.  _"Begging for release, begging for my cock"_ You could see the smirk on his face, and you rolled your eyes, choosing not to entertain him. 

     "Alright, well this isn't going how I planned at all" Steve said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Bucky gave him a sympathetic pat on the back and you could have sworn you heard an 'I told you so'. "How about this, can we all agree to eat together at least one meal a week without any fighting or bickering?" Steve asked, giving everyone a sad look. Damn, he was impossible to say no to with that face, you thought. Everyone slowly began to nod and agree, perking him right up. "Great, one to training then!"

     "Well, that's my cue to leave" Bruce said, Tony nodded as well and followed him out of the door. The rest of the team began pairing off, and Bucky got a hold of you before Loki was able to. He gave the solider a glare before Thor hauled him off for their own training. 

     "Are you sure you're up for training?" Bucky asked, getting into a stance to spar. You did the same, stretching a little before you attacked. 

     "Why wouldn't be?" You asked, narrowly missing his metal arm coming out to hit you. Once you dodged, you came back at him even harder, not giving him the chance to switch back to offensive moves. 

     "Well you two looked like you were going at it pretty hard earlier, just want to make sure you're not hurt" he said as a low kick landed him on his back. His breath out was a struggle but he continued. "Never mind, I think you're fine" he said as he sat up. 

     "Sorry" you mumbled as Steve came rushing over. 

     "Buck, are you alright?" He asked, helping his friend up. Bucky tried to stand up on his own but almost fell, his left ankle not being able to bear his weight. 

     "I'm fine, I think it's just sprained. Don't worry (Y/N), I'm fine" Bucky stressed as you were about to apologize again. You had a habit of getting carried away while fighting. 

     "Maybe you should spar with the Asgardians after all" Steve said, giving you a small smile. You nodded your head and headed over to the brothers. 

***

     Almost everyone had left for something to eat, however, you and Loki didn't stop sparring. You were enjoying it, far more than you did when Steve simply told you what exercises to do. This let you take out your frustrations, on the person who caused those frustrations; it was a win/win for both you. 

     "Come on my darling prince, you can do better than that" you taunted, playing with the dagger in your hand. Steve told you no weapons, but that had only worked for a few moments while you and Loki warmed up. Thor had all but given up after you joined them, not wanting to fight you again if he could help it. He was afraid to use his full strength with you, if he didn't have to, and that always gave you the upper hand with Thor. 

     "Don't tease me Titan, I may have to punish you again" Loki smirked before moving to an offensive position. This caused you to block his attacks, one after the other, but you were focused and he wasn't going to win this time. 

     "Be careful!" Steve yelled in the background. You waved him off as you dodged a dagger aimed for your head. You could faintly hear Bucky and Thor making bets on which one of you would win, laughing when Steve told them not to encourage you. Just as you were about to counter the attack, there was a large rumble throughout the tower. You looked over at the others, each wearing a worried expression. "You two, stay here!" Steve ordered both you and Loki. You rolled your eyes but watched them leave. 

     "What do you think that was about?" Loki asked, disarming himself, you did the same. 

     "Not sure, but it can't be good" you replied, heading over to the gym monitor that was hooked up to the artificial intelligence. "Friday, can you bring up the visual for the tower, let us see what's happening" you asked. 

     "I'm afraid I cannot do that, Mr. Stark does not wish for me to listen to your commands" the voice replied back, Loki snickered. You rolled your eyes. 

     "Don't make me take apart your mainframe again, Friday" you threatened the computer. If it had any feelings at all, you would have assumed the AI was thinking. But you knew her protocol was to stay online first since the whole Tower ran through Friday; Tony's order would have been low level compared to that. 

     "As you wish" the AI replied and the screen came to life. You could see the Iron Man suit was already out and Steve has his shield. Besides the giant hole where there use to be windows looking down on New York City, there was a man that was the center of attention. 

     "What's wrong, do you know him?" Loki asked, watching your expressions instead of the monitors now. The man was bulky, muscles and his stature signalling that he was a warrior. His face, a large gash had left scar tissue over across it, and you had hoped not to see it again. Your body filled with dread and anger. "Who is he?" Loki had more urgency in his voice now, he had never seen you like this before. You took a deep breath, looking at Loki with genuine worry in your eyes. 

     "Perses". 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is longer than what I usually write, but I hope everyone enjoys it! **Mentions of lots of violence.**

     Loki looked at you, stunned as you moved around him and out of the training area. He stared at the blank space where you had previously been for a moment before following quickly, not wanting to let you out of his sights. 

     "You mean your husband, Perses?" He asked, and you nodded you head. You maneuvered yourself through the hallways and down some stairs, Loki never too far behind you. "I thought you said he was dead?"

     "No, if you remember correctly, you assumed he was dead and I just never corrected you" you answered while picking up the pace. You knew the team would try and fight Perses, and you knew they would lose. You came to a door and quickly hauled it off it’s hinges, not having time to bypass the security system. 

     “Great, so I’m fucking a married woman” Loki said sarcastically, avoiding the door that was now aimed at his head. He followed you in, watching you go straight to the large computers. You picked out, Loki assumed at random. “What exactly are you doing?” Loki asked. 

     “You’ll see” You smirked, diving under one of the large computer systems and getting to work. To Loki, it was a simple mess of wires, most of which, he didn’t understand their function. You cursed a bit and threw more wires out, putting others back in their place. Before Loki knew what was happening, the cuff on his wrist disengaged and fell off; he noticed yours did too. 

    “What did you do?” Loki asked, not taking his eyes off his wrist as you brought yourself back from underneath the computer. 

    “Basically, I killed it” You smiled. “Stark isn’t the only genius around here” you gave him a wink and started out of the room. The power was surging through you, you felt better than you had since being in Stark Tower. Loki grabbed you and turned you around, pressing you into the wall with his body. Any other day, you would have pushed him off you, attacked him, but the look in his face was telling you that he was worried. 

     “Why did you do it? Why now and not when they were first put them on us” He asked. You looked in his face, unable to stop yourself from giving him a quick kiss. 

     “We didn’t need our powers then, now we do, Perses will kill everyone in the tower to get to me, we need to stop him” you told Loki, another quick kiss to his lips. He took a deep breath. 

     “Fine, but after this is done, we’re having a talk” Loki told you and you nodded. “Until then, I have your back darling, he will regret every coming after you” Loki gave you a passionate kiss, biting your lower lip before letting you go.  You took one last look at him before he took your hand; you both headed back to living where the Avengers would be. It wasn't long until you got close enough to hear the commotion. 

     "Look buddy, we don’t have your wife. Why don't you just explain who you are and why you thought it was a good idea to put a hole in my tower?" Tony asked, you could tell that he was using his sarcastic/angry voice, that was only going to make Perses angrier. 

     “I know she's here” you heard Perses yell. You took a deep breath, dropping Loki’s hand as you both entered the room. He fought hard to not stand in front of you, he wanted to protect you, but he knew this wasn’t his fight; not yet anyway. 

     “Heard you were looking for me” you spoke loud enough, causing everyone to turn around and stare at you and Loki entering the room. 

     “You’re married?” Tony was the first to yell out. You rolled your eyes at him, trying your best to ignore his outburst. “Great, just what we need, two angry Titans” Tony complained. Perses paid them no mind, they weren’t important to him. 

     “You’re coming home, Asteria” Perses told you, he made a move for you but a sudden surge in power stopped him. A fine silver aura surrounded you and you could hear Tony mutter a curse, explaining to the others that the cuffs were no longer on you or Loki. Bucky began to make his way over to you, but a quick look and a shake of your head told him not to. Loki was the only one who could handle being this close to two clashing Titans. 

     “Oh, I’m not going anywhere with you” you told him. Loki stepped up beside you, causing Perses’ attention to shift to him for a quick moment. You could see he was weighing his options, without you and Loki, the team would have been easy to take. With you and Loki however, it was going to be near impossible for him to win. 

     “You'd rather stay with the pathetic mortals and their leashed gods than be with your own on Olympus?" Perses chuckled. Loki gripped a dagger now, his eyes glaring at your husband. 

     "I would choose them over you and Olympus any day" you told him, earning you surprised glances from the Avengers. "And I would be careful of how you speak to the gods, Loki is no longer leashed" you smirked, casting Loki a quick glance. Perses faltered at this, Loki had a reputation, even on Olympus. "Leave before we force you to leave; you only get one warning". 

     "You're pathetic, he's coming after you whether you like it or not, make this easier on both of us" Perses tried, his tone harsh and annoyed. 

     "Oh please, when have I ever done anything the easy way?" You chuckled, earning a laugh from Loki as well. You only had moments to react before Perses was lunging at you. You magic surrounded the both of you, trying to keep the damage to a minimum, you didn't need Tony any angrier than he was already going to be. You managed to get Perses' arm and hunched him over, kneeing him repeatedly in the stomach. "Protect the others, make sure Bruce doesn't go green" you told Loki who nodded solemnly, he wanted to help, but for once did as he was told. 

     "You're not going to help her, brother?" Thor asked, he had been trying to find a way into the fight as well, but the two Titans moved at a quick pace. You took a punch to the face, making Loki wince but he stood his ground, ready to do what you asked. 

     "She asked nicely for me to protect everyone, that is what I am going to do so please brother, do not make it harder than it already is" Loki warned, his dagger threatening to stab someone. The others stay quiet, watching in awe at the fight before them. 

     "First you take my daughter away from me" Perses growled as he gained the upper hand. You tried to move to a defensive stance, but he was quick. 

     "I kept her safe, it's what parents are supposed to do" you growled. Your magic pulsed as you avoided his blasts, deflecting them as they came at you and trying to stay on your feet. 

     "You fake your death, then I find you living with these primitive creatures. You should have just killed yourself" Perses seethed, sending you flying back. Loki bent and caught you, bringing his lips to your ear. 

     "You got this darling, you're stronger than him" he whispered. You nodded as he helped you up, this did not seem to please your husband, as he glared at Loki. You took a deep breath, and lunged, trying to get your hands on Perses. You couldn’t finish the fight here, it would be too dangerous. Once you had him in your grasp, you turned to Loki. 

     "Follow me" you told him before disappearing. You managed to get Perses to an open field, both of you fell hard, rolling away from each other. You coughed as you got up, a bit of blood landing on the grass before you. You saw him coming towards you, sword in hand as you managed to get up. You got up before he reached you, summoning your own daggers by your side and getting ready to fight again. 

     You don't know how long you stayed locked in battle, never gaining the complete upper hand. He was trained well and had time to practice. You shouldn't have let yourself get soft, but at the same time, he was not winning either. You got hit again, knocking you to your knee. It seemed a stalemate as you heard the familiar roar of the quinjet engines. You hadn’t thought Loki would bring the whole team; you had wanted them safe back at the tower. 

     "Stay here" Loki ordered as he got off the jet. Perses was distracted, it was as good a time as ever. You reached up, placing a hand on his abdomen and let the magic shoot out. It sent him flying into the air, then landed with a thud a few meters away. 

     You couldn’t see where though, as soon as he was off of you, you landed on the grass as well. Loki ran to you, dropping to his knees in front of you. 

     "Perses" you managed to croak out. Tony flew over you, heading in the direction that Perses landed but he didn't get attacked. 

     "He got away" Loki told you, smoothing the hair out and away from your face. "You did great, he won't be coming back for a while and when he does, we'll be ready". 

***

     The team took the jet back to the tower, but Loki used his magic to get you there first and back in your room. Everything hurt and blood littered your skin, some that was your own, some was from Perses. Loki led you into the bathroom, keeping a firm grip on you. 

     "Can you stand on your own for a moment?" He asked, not really wanting to let you go but you nodded. You swayed but succeeded in standing as Loki turned on the bath, letting the water heat up as he went back to you. "Let's get you washed up before the team arrives" he smiled. 

     "You're being too nice to me" you whispered. "It's weird", you tried to laugh but only managed to cough. 

     "Don't get used to it, Titan" Loki smiled as he began to undress you. He could have used magic, you didn't understand why he didn't until you realized he was inspecting every wound as he went. Once you were naked, you noticed he was too before he turned you around to help you in the bath. It was a slow process, but Loki was right behind you the whole time, keeping you steady. As you sank down into the hot water, so did Loki. He wrapped his arms around you when the water shut off and let you rest against his chest. 

     The water was quick to turn red, but you didn't care. You sank into Loki and held his arms around you, not wanting him to ever let you go. You sighed, slightly more awake now that the battle was over. 

     "I suppose you want an explanation" you started. Loki kissed your neck, his hand lazily tracing your hip. 

     "It can wait if you're not ready" he told you. Now was about the only time the two of you were going to get alone, the team would be back shortly and they were not going to be as understanding as Loki. 

     "After Cronus fell, the rest of the Titans were quick to fall in line with Zeus and the other gods. It was survival, of course. Zeus was terrible, he took what he wanted and cared for no one but himself" you paused for a moment, gathering your breath as you continued. "He took a special interest in me at one point, my daughter was older enough then to realize what would happen when he finally did get a hold of me" Loki took that hint, you were hoping he would. His grip got tighter on you, more protective. 

     "Let me guess, Perses did nothing to protect you?" He seethed, his skin began to shift to a blue pigment. You knew of his Jotun heritage, but of course never seen it. 

     "Calm down Loki, your turning blue" you laughed. His skin changed back quickly and he apologized, his eyes avoiding yours as you turned slightly to look up at him. 

     "Sometimes that happens when I get angry" he mumbled. You had thought you made him plenty angry before this, on many occasions, but apparently you were wrong. You chuckled a bit at that and squeezed Loki's hand. 

     "You have nothing to be sorry for Loki, I've known your story for a while. If it bothered me, I wouldn't be here right now" you told him. "And to answer your other question, no, Perses simply stepped aside for Zeus. The Titans were pathetic and frightened after watching the gods brutalize Cronus" you tried to shake the memory from your thoughts and Loki kissed your temple, trying to help the only way he could. 

     "So, you hid your daughter and faked your death?" Loki paused as you nodded your head, confirming his conclusion. "How long ago was that?" You thought for a moment, trying to do the calculations in your head based on the year to humans. 

     "Almost two thousand years, I think" you told him. You heard his breath hitch as he nuzzled into you. 

     "You've been away from home, all alone that whole time?" Loki sounded upset, angry for you so you just nodded. "You’re not alone anymore" he said as he brought some of the water to your hair, trying to wash out the blood. You turned to face him, a quick kiss on his lips. 

     "Neither are you". 


	19. Chapter 19

     Loki held you tightly as he helped you out of the bath. You were thankful for this, unsure if your legs would be able to support themselves. He got a towel just as the door burst open.

     "You have a lot of explaining – oh fuck, I did not need to see that!" Tony yelled shielding his eyes from Loki's naked backside as he shielded you from Tony's eyes. Steve came running then too, trying to ensure that everything was okay.

      "Stark, get out of here before I stab you" Loki growled as he covered your body with a towel. You wanted to laugh, especially when you see Steve's face turn bright red and grab Tony by the shoulders.

     "Sorry, we'll be waiting downstairs" Steve mumbled before quickly leaving with Tony. You looked at Loki who continued to use the towel to dry you off, making sure all the blood was washed off. He muttered something about Tony being an idiot, but you couldn't catch exactly what it was.

     "We should get downstairs, they are going to want an explanation" you started. "And I am sure Tony is waiting anxiously to yell at us" you laughed. You let your magic change you into a tank top with plaid pyjama bottoms, your hair was up and out of your face. After catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, you paused. "I look terrible" you started. Your face was bruise, lip split while cuts and more bruises littered almost every inch of your skin.

     "It was a touch battle, but I will help you heal. I have never been too great at that type of magic, but I can lend you power" Loki told you. You thanked him and let him use his magic to help you downstairs. He was still holding you up when you appeared in front of the team. Tony wasted no time laying into both of you while Loki helped you get comfortable on the couch.

     "I knew something was up with them, their dating! I knew it! If you leave two psychopaths together, eventually they fall in love" Tony yelled out, much to the annoyance of everyone else it seemed.

     "Hey Stark, no one ever said anything about love, maybe we're just having sex" you grinned, and Loki laughed as he watched Tony stammer over his words.

     "I don't know which is worse" Tony finally mumbled. "Anyway, why the hell didn't you tell us there was going to be an angry Titan husband coming after us. Also, how the hell did you get out of your cuffs?" Tony seemed quick to try and forget about yours and Loki's sex life, settling on the other crimes you apparently committed.

     "She didn't know he would find her, that's why she didn't want to do any press conferences or be on camera" Loki answered for you, wrapping his arms around you protectively while he used his powers to help you heal. It was still going to be a slow process, fighting with a Titan at full strength wasn't something anyone could easily come back from.

     "Think of it as my own little witness protection program" you smiled at Tony. He huffed at that realising what you meant.

     "So, you were never really a prisoner here, you just let us believe you were" he concluded. You shrugged your shoulders.

     "Pretty much" you agreed. Tony was fuming now, and Steve put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

     "Look, she obviously doesn’t mean us any harm, or we'd probably be dead by now" Steve looked to you for a moment and you nodded your head. "I think the both of them have proved their value to the team today and the cuffs aren't the preventative measure we thought they were, so" Steve paused for a moment, gauging the team's reactions. "Welcome to the Avengers" he smiled. You and Loki both looked at each other, a little less enthusiastic.

     "Congrats doll" Bucky said as he went to pat your back. One glare from Loki however and he was backing up towards Steve once more. Everyone began taking seats in the living room, Tony grumbled about the decision but ultimately sat down as well after getting a drink.

     "So, do you feel up to telling us why your husband was after you and why you really did not seem to want to return with him?" Natasha asked. You sighed and looked to Loki who nodded. He helped you sit up a little straighter, but he didn't move his arms from you, simply shifted them slightly. You dove into the same story you told Loki. When you reached the part about Zeus, Loki wasn't the only angry one. Natasha visibly angered, as well as Bucky and Steve. Even Tony seemed to be put off by it, it was probably the only emotion he had ever shown in regard to you.

     "So, let me get this straight, Zeus was basically going to rape you and your husband stepped aside to let it happen" Tony asked, seeming to be the only one who was able to find his voice as you tried to coax down a blue Loki. Thor gave his brother a warning as well, but he looked more concerned that his brother was getting so angry.

     "Yes, Zeus is very powerful and Perses is a coward" you told them. You then told them how you hid your daughter and faked your death.

     "So, what's the best and worst-case scenarios here?" Steve asked, trying to figure out exactly what they were up against.

     "Best case, Perses comes back to try and take me away. I have a good change against him. There are also several creatures that could be sent instead of him. Worst case, Zeus comes after me himself" you paused, letting it sink in. "That's why I'm leaving tonight, they will follow me and leave you all alone" you told them. Loki's grip loosened for a moment, shocked by what you said.

     "If you leave, then I'm going with you" Loki told you firmly. Thor and Bucky both looked like they wanted to interject as you tried to reason with Loki, but Steve soon stood, silencing everyone.

     "We are a team now, whether you like it or not. We face these threats together or not at all, am I understood" Steve asked, the Avengers nodded their heads, but you went to argue.

     "Cap, it's too danger-"

     "Am I understood?" He asked again, more firmly. You looked around at everyone, then finally Loki's face. The resolve in his eyes told you that he wasn't going to let you go, you would have no choice but to agree unless you wanted to put them in more danger by having them follow you around the globe. Loki would be able to find you anywhere you went.

     "Yes sir" you responded, a little more sarcastic then you meant to, but he took the agreement to heart.

     "Great, we will start a new training schedule when you are healed, I think I found some more trust building exercises that everyone will enjoy!" He smiled even as everyone else groaned. "Until then, rest up Titan, we're going to need you". You nodded your head, looking to Loki. He took the signal and before you knew it, you were laying down in your bed. It felt nice to simply lay down, his arms still wrapped around you.

     "You do realise what else happened today, don't you?" You asked, your face lighting up with a mischievous smirk.

     "No" he replied tentatively, regarding you with suspicion. You laughed, wondering what he thought you were going to do.

     "I won the bet, prince, you owe me an adventure when I've healed" Loki laughed but nodded his head, he almost forgot about that bet. He bent down and kissed you, settling into the bed to get some rest.

     "Very well Titan, when you are better, get ready for the adventure of a lifetime".


	20. Chapter 20

     The next day you're bruises and cuts had healed significantly but were still visible. The ache in your muscles had only started to go away as well, it still hurt to walk anywhere. You had untangled yourself from Loki's grasps early in the morning, careful not to wake up. You were hungry and full Titan would heal a lot quicker. 

     Tony was sitting at the table, reading something on his tablet while Steve read the newspaper. You mumbled a good morning to both of them and walked over to the cupboard, getting a protein bar and a couple of pop tarts that had managed to survive Thor. Not the healthiest breakfast, but it would do for now. 

     "You're looking much better" Steve complimented as he poured you a coffee. You took the mug gratefully, breathing in the wonderful scent of coffee. 

     "Yes, Loki's magic had been helping as well. I should be all healed by tomorrow" you told him. He nodded his head, putting the paper away.

     "I was thinking that you would be able to lend us a hand on a few projects that Tony has backed up in the lab", you heard Tony's tablet drop. Both of you narrowed your eyes at Steve, wondering where he was going with this. "Don't look at me that way, either of you. (Y/N), you are obviously very smart and Tony you need the help" he said firmly. Both you and Tony glared at each other for a quick moment before mumbling a 'fine' and leaving the kitchen.

     You walked back up to your room, no longer in a happy mood. You forgot your coffee on the counter but you were not about to go back for it; you would just have to ask Loki to conjure you one. You walked into the room, forgetting Loki would have been sleeping and slammed the door. Luckily, he was no longer asleep and rushed over to you, grabbing you and bringing you into a bone crushing hug. 

     "I woke up and you weren't there, I got worried" he said. You managed to push him away slightly, to let you breath but he didn't let you go just yet. 

     "I'm fine, Loki, I was just hungry" you told him. You threw the food over to the couch and gave him a quick kiss to diffuse his worry. He looked you over as you walked to the couch, opening the protein bar and curling into yourself. "What's got you in such a foul mood?"

     "Steve wants me to work with Tony on some projects, he doesn't exactly enjoy my company" you told him. Loki nodded, understanding your apprehension. 

     "If you'd like, I can come with you and annoy Tony with my many mischievous pranks" he offered a smirk playing on his lips. You laughed at the thought, it would be entertaining. You knew Loki would come anyway, he was obviously worried about you being on your own now, especially while you healed.

     "Alright, you can come with me, but you aren't to interrupt my own work" you told him. He laughed and nodded, joining you on the couch. 

     "I forgot my coffee" you pouted and Loki smile, conjuring up a cup of coffee for you and a tea for him. He wrinkled up his nose at the smell of black coffee. 

     "I have no idea how you can drink that darling" Loki laughed and you simply shrugged. 

     "I like it" was the only answer you offered him. You both settled in to your morning, reading separate books while you used Loki's body as a body pillow. 

***

     "What the hell is Reindeer Games doing here?" Tony asked when you walked into the lab later on that day. Loki smiled, unable to hide his excitement at the prospect of annoying Tony. 

     "She is not done healing yet Stark, I am here to ensure she does not overexert herself" he started. "Or stab you out of frustration" he added with a slight smirk. Tony huffed, but didn't say anything about Loki having to leave, the threat of being stabbed was a little too real for his liking. 

     "There are a few projects over here that need to be done. Steve wants this one done right away" he said pointing to a pile of metal that was on the ground. 

     "What is it supposed to be?" You asked, it looked like he had completely taken something apart and then given up, leaving the metal to sit and gather dust. 

     "It was a weapon we took from the Chitauri when this asshole attacked" Tony jabbed a finger towards Loki who was no longer paying attention to the conversation. "We wanted to know how it worked so I took it apart. Now, Cap wants it put back together to see if we can use it against your husband" Stark explained. 

     "This weapon won't kill Perses, but it we may be able to use it against other threats. I will get right to work" you said as Tony walked away, no longer listening to you. You sighed and sat on the floor, opting to ignore whatever Loki was going to do to annoy Tony. 

***

     "If you don't put that down, I will cut your hair in your sleep!" Tony threatened and Loki scoffed. You were putting the last finishing detail on the weapon, ensuring that it would work. 

     "Oh please, as if you could get the jump on me. I would stab you the minute you walked in the door" Loki told him, still playing around with part of Tony's suit. They were getting on your nerves but at least neither of them was directly bothering you. 

     "Oh really, why don’t I put on the suit and we'll see who the better Avenger is" Tony threatened and Loki rolled his eyes as Steve and Bucky came into the room. 

     "How is everything going in here" Steve asked. Loki and Tony whipped their heads around to glare at the intruders and you held up the weapon. 

     "Done!" You yelled out. Everyone turned to look at you. Loki smiled, Steve and Bucky looked impressed and Tony simply seethed in anger. Before you knew what was happening, Tony had grabbed the weapon out of your hands, checking it over. "Look all you want Stark, but you won't find a fault with it. Should work even better now" you bragged. 

     "Let's see about that then" Tony turned the weapon on and pointed it towards you. You groaned and got up, putting your hands on your hips. 

     "What the hell do you think you're doing Stark!" Loki yelled. Bucky tried to move a little closer to Tony, as did Loki however the gun was already armed and dangerous to them. 

     "She said it herself, this gun won't kill Perses, then it shouldn't kill her unless she tampered with it" Tony stuttered out, his hand shakily on the trigger. 

     "You're not making any sense, Tony. Do you still not trust her, really?" Steve asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. Bucky was close to grabbing the gun now, Loki nodded to him, hoping one of them could get a hold of it. Tony seen the movement and jerked back, triggering the gun. There was a loud bang from the gun, then a crash of the wall breaking from your body being thrown against it. You fell to the floor in the next room and heard Loki call out your name. 

     You groaned, turning around and trying to sit up. Your vision was a little blurry but there didn't seem to be too much blood, it was mostly dripping from your mouth and nose. You tried to look up and could see a blurry Loki and Bucky running towards you. 

     "I'm fine" you said, before they could even ask. You held out a hand to Loki who helped you on your feet. You wobbled, unable to keep your vision focused. "That wouldn't have been so bad, had I not gone a few rounds with a Titan yesterday" you grumbled. 

     "I- I- I didn't mean to" Tony stammered as Steve grabbed the gun away from him, placing it far out of reach. 

     "What the hell were you thinking!" Steve yelled at him. It was the first time you heard the super soldier yell, you had started to think he wasn't able to get angry. Loki put you into Bucky's arms, giving him a warning glare. 

     "Watch her" he commanded, Bucky simply nodded. He was happy to not be on the receiving end of Loki's wrath but feared what the god may do. You couldn't do much to fight against Bucky's grip, not yet anyway. 

     Loki's gaze turned to Tony, there was an anger in them that was rarely seen. Not even when he tried to take over New York was this expression seen by the team. Tony gulped and held out his hand, summoning his Iron Man suit and causing Steve to move out of the way of oncoming metal. 

     "We heard a crash!" Bruce called out, followed by Natasha and Thor. They took one look around the room and their eyes widened. Loki donned his battle amour, complete with daggers at his side. 

     "Loki" you tried to call out but it came out as a whisper that only Bucky seemed to hear, and he just gripped you tighter. 

     "You're going to pay for hurting her, Stark" Loki hissed, you could hear Steve trying to calm both of them down, stating that you were fine, but it wasn't working. 

     "Bring it on, Reindeer Games" Tony quipped back and that was all it took before both of them went flying at each other and up through the ceiling onto the next floor. Bucky covered your head with his metal arm to avoid the debris falling on you. 

     "What happened?" Thor asked, looking at the giant hole in the ceiling. Steve began explaining as Bruce came over to you. He looked you over while you tried to focus on him, on anything really. "Is she okay?" Thor's voice came as a surprise, much softer than it normally was. You could barely hear it over the crashing going on upstairs. 

     "I think she just has the Titan equivalent of a concussion, she'll be fine" a loud crash came from above them. "Although I cannot say the same for the two of them" Bruce added. 

     "We need to break them up" Steve added and the team nodded, getting ready to try and find a way to get between the pair. You blinked a few times and took a deep breath, pushing yourself off Bucky despite his concerns. You were going to put a stop to this, whether they liked it or not. Steve followed close behind you and Thor, who stayed by your side to keep you up; the others stayed downstairs, not really wanting to get in the middle of a fight unless they didn't have a choice. 

     You got to the floor that they were fighting on, it was an utter mess. You weren't sure how they managed to do so much damage in so little time. They both looked tired, Loki had a few times cuts and Tony's suit had definitely seen better days. You pushed away from Thor who reluctantly let you go. You took a deep breath and held out your hand. 

     "Close your eyes" you commanded to Steve and Thor, who obediently listened. A large white light flashed through the room. When you could see again, Loki and Tony were frozen in place, everything except their eyes and mouth. Both of them swore as they tried to move, Loki tried his best to reason with you and let him go.

     "That's amazing" Steve breathed out. You wobbled in place, afraid that you were going to fall but Thor promptly caught you. "Do you think you can move them to the living room?" Steve asked. 

     "I think so, as long as Thor doesn't mind helping me walk" you tried to chuckle but it came out more like a cough. Thor did chuckle however, grabbing your elbow and putting a hand around your waist to try and lead you. 

     "Not at all, my Lady" he began to walk you away, Tony and Loki floating along behind you. You heard Steve clear his throat. 

     "Jarvis, call a team meeting". 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I just posted a chapter yesterday, but enjoy another one!

     Loki and Tony sat on opposite ends of the couch. You sat in a chair while Bucky and Bruce fussed over you, trying to make sure you were okay. They were at least not getting yelled at by Loki this time, in fact, Natasha got so annoyed waiting for the rest of the team, she had duct taped both of their mouths shut. 

     "Hey, heard you almost got murdered again, you alright?" Clint asked, patting you on the back. You hissed in pain and then glared on at him as he took a seat. 

     "I've been better" you told him as Bruce handed you a wet cloth to clean the dried blood from your face. 

     "Well at least you're still alive!" Clint looked positively content and it made you want to hit him even more. Although, even if you could get up to do it, Bucky was putting a stop to that with his metal arm. 

     "That is arguable" you answered instead. You gave the cloth back to Bruce and he handed you a bag of ice instead. You promptly put it on your forehead and closed your eyes, enjoying the cold. Wanda and Vision were the last to walk in, having been out during most of the commotion. 

     "Alright, everyone is here" Steve clapped his hands together, the noise made you wince and Steve quickly apologized. "For anyone who is wondering, the tower is now a mess because these two started a fight" Steve began and you glared at him. "Also, because Tony attacked (Y/N)" he added, trying to ignore the death glare that Loki was giving Tony. "Which means I think we should revisit my idea of team building, we can start with trust falls! (Y/N), Tony, get up and show everyone how it's done" Steve was far too excited. Tony gave him a ridiculous look. "Oh right, (Y/N) can you undo" he paused. "Whatever it is you did to them?"

     You nodded your head and undid the spell, causing them both to fall a little further into the couch. They both ripped the tap off their mouths quickly, eager to be able to move and speak once more. 

     "I am not doing trust falls, there is no way in hell she is going to catch me!" Tony argued. You could tell Steve was about to argue. 

     "He's right Steve, I am not going to catch him" you started and Steve looked very disappointed. "Oh, don't you give me that look. He shot me!" You reminded Steve and you could tell Loki was getting angry again. His skin was taking a blue hue. "Loki" you whimpered out, making yourself sound more vulnerable than you actually were. It worked, he was snapped out of his anger instantly and was by your side a moment later, looking you over. 

     "Are you alright, darling?" He asked and you nodded, keeping a hold of them. He was nice and cool, it was soothing. 

     "I think I just want to lay down, it's been a long day" you told him. He nodded and got up, picking you up before you were able to stand from the chair. 

     "We're going to get some rest while she heals, I expect us not to be bothered" Loki glared at Tony while he said it but the team nodded in agreement, saying it was a good idea. Once in bed, you curled into Loki, enjoying the coolness of his skin against your own. He wrapped his arms around you and held you tight. "How are you feeling now?"

     "A little less dizzy" you told him. You could see the worry in in eyes and you smiled, giving him q quick kiss on the cheeks. "Don't worry, it will take a lot more than that to kill me". 

    "Promise?" He asked and you nodded. You could hear the team arguing downstairs, a few choice words directed at Tony almost made you snicker. 

     "I promise". 

***

     It was the next morning before you woke up again. You turned around to find Loki however, you found an empty bed instead. You wondered where he could have gone and hoped it hadn't been to restart the fight with Tony. You sighed, there was no sounds of battle, so you didn't think that was it. Throwing the blankets off of you, you decided to take a shower. You stripped your clothes and looked at your body, it was healing, but after the events yesterday you had a few more bruises. Eventually they would heal, until then, you simply had to be patient. 

     When you got out of the shower, you headed back into the bedroom, dressed in the comfiest clothes you could find for the day. Loki said on the bed now with a few plate full of food and coffee. 

     "What's all this?" You asked, taking a seat next to him. You looked at all the food before you, it looked like he bought a whole breakfast menu. 

     "A full Titan is a strong Titan, eat up" he told you firmly. You rolled your eyes but started picking at the food. Loki helped, eating only what you didn't seem interested in. By the time the two of you were done, nothing was left besides a few crumbs. 

     "So, do we have any plans for the day?" You asked, leaning back against the headboard, your head on his shoulders. 

     "I thought we would just relax here. It is quite odd to be downstairs at the moment, I think everyone is a little angry with Stark and it's putting the heroes on edge" he told you, it would explain why everything had been so quiet today. 

     "Alright, so how to you plan on keeping me entertained?" You asked, wondering how you were going to manage to relax all day, it wasn't really in your nature. 

     "We can get to know each other a bit more" he started, you looked at him strangely. "Let's face it, (Y/N), we spent the beginning of our relationship bickering like children. We don’t know much about each other besides what we've read" Loki explain. You couldn't argue with him there, sure in theory you knew a lot about Loki, but that was mostly by reputation. "So, ask me anything, I won't get angry and I swear to not lie" Loki offered. You thought about it for a moment, there were so many things you could ask. 

     "Tell me about your parents" you asked. He stiffened a little, but true to his word, he did not get angry with you. 

     "Well, you know that I am adopted. I am the son of a Frost Giant, although I confess to knowing little about the man. As for the father who raised me, Odin made a better king than father to me" he paused, wondering what else he could say to Odin. "That's pretty much it about Odin, he wasn't a great father to me, but he was good to Thor" Loki finished. 

     "What about your mother?" You asked and Loki's face broke out into a smile. 

     "She is a wonderful woman, patient but fierce. She taught me everything I know about magic, her lessons were tough, but they made me what I am today. I am eternally grateful for that woman, she made life at the palace bearable" he explained. 

     "I'm glad you had her" you commented. Loki hummed along, agreeing with you. Taking this moment, you pulled yourself back under the covers of the bed, getting more comfortable. If you were to stay in bed relaxing all day, then you were going to do it properly. You summoned a few more pillows and packed them around both you and Loki as he laughed at your insistence of having more pillows than bed. "Comfy?" You asked him once you were done. 

     "Very much so, darling" he agreed. A soft knock came to the door and Thor's voice rang out, asking for Loki. "Come in, you oaf" Loki called out, a little cranky that your relaxation had been interrupted. Thor was soon visible in the doorway, smiling at the two of you cuddled together on the bed. Part of you wanted to move away, but the team already knew something was going on between you and Loki, plus you were comfortable. 

     "I thought I would find you two in here. Lady Asteria, you seem to be healing well" Thor commented. 

     "I will be as good as new tomorrow" you smiled, you could hardly wait for it. Loki kissed your temple, he would relax more once you were at full strength as well. 

     "I came to see what the two of you were up to, no one has seen you all day and they began to worry" Thor commented as he sat down at the end of the bed, after maneuvering the pillows to he could find the bed. 

     "Ah, well it is a little difficult to take over the world with my darling not feeling up to it. Although, I am still trying to get her to agree to that plan as well" Loki joked and you hit his arm. Thor did not seem take it as a joke and more of a serious threat; to be fair, you still weren't sure if he was serious or not. 

     "Do not poke fun at the expense of your brother" you told him, trying to lighten the mood. It seemed to work. 

     "So, if not plans for world domination, what were you two speaking of?" Thor asked.

     "We were just reminiscing about Loki's childhood on Asgard" you offered. Thor seemed to brighten up at this. 

     "Oh lovely, I may be able to help". Thor's eyes sparkled with mischievous intent, it was not something often seen on the God of Thunder. "Loki was a troublesome child, I know, not hard to believe. When he was beginning to learn magic, he would go around and change things in the palace, waiting for people to notice. One time, he changes an old painting of our grandfather so that he was naked. It scarred the palace workers for quite some time, father was quite angry". You snickered at Thor's retelling of the story, while Loki seemed slightly embarrassed. 

     "It was funny at the time, I was young, I did not understand why all the maidens were blushing for furiously" he added which made you laugh even harder. 

     "I heard laughter in here, is someone dead?" Bucky and Steve were the next to enter the room. They took in the scene, it must have looked like a small sleepover. 

     "Come join us!" You offered, feeling slightly giddy after Thor's story. "Loki, can you make the room for comfortable for everyone?" You asked, you would have done it but you needed all your magic to heal.

     "I don’t approve of these interruptions, but yes, I will, if only to ensure you do not use any magic" Loki grumbled. The room was transformed into one large mattress that covered the room and more pillows than you could count. Bucky shrugged and picked a spot, dragging Steve down with him. 

     "So, what's the laughter about?" Bucky asked. Steve seemed to just be content that at least some of the team were getting along. 

     "We are telling old tales of Loki's many blunders with magic" Thor offered, making you snicker as Loki glared at his brother. 

     "That is not what we're doing" he seethed. 

     "Oh it is now" you told him, kissing him on the cheek. It seemed to calm him down slightly as you moved over him. 

     "What are you doing?" He asked as you crawled onto his lap. You wiggled your way between his thighs and grabbed his arms, bringing them around you. 

     "Getting comfortable, what does it look like, prince?" You asked, instead of answering, he simply kissed your temple and ensured that you were as close to him as you could get. "Tells us another one, Thor" you asked, it was safe now that Loki seemed content with you in his arms. 

     "Alright, this one time, he was having a hard time sleeping so he attempting to conjure a sleeping spell for himself" you could hear Loki chuckle. "Except, of course, the sleep goes wrong. Turned out, everyone who came near him would fall into a deep sleep. It made council meetings very unproductive for a few days but everyone was well rested once the magic wore off" Thor laughed. 

     "Some of the best council meetings I ever had was during those couple of days" Loki spoke fondly of the memory, making everyone laugh even more. 

     "What is going on in here?" Natasha asked, walking into the room. "The door was opened, I thought something terrible must have happened" she smirked, seeing everyone laying down on the floor with pillows everywhere. 

     "We're telling stories of how Loki traumatized all of Asgard when he was younger" Bucky offered. 

     "I didn't traumatize everyone is Asgard" he paused for a moment, thinking about it. "Just everyone in the palace" Loki corrected. Steve leaned over and whispered something in Natasha's ear, you didn't hear it but you see her whip out her phone. You should have asked, but instead listened to Thor's next story. 

     "Oh, there was another time that, well I am unsure of what he was learning, but when all was said and done; he was only able to see in black and white for weeks" Thor laughed and Loki shook his head. 

     "Yes, everyone had a great laugh at that" Loki added. 

     "Hey, we got your text, this is the team meeting?" Clint asked as he, Bruce, Wanda, Vision and Sam walked into the room. Everyone but Tony was there and Loki was getting grumpy again. 

     "What? Story time is good for building moral. It's not like you guys have agreed to do anything else I've suggested" Steve told everyone when he noticed Loki glaring at him. Loki rolled his eyes and griped you’re a little tighter. "Go ahead Thor". 

     "Well, there was another time that Loki got annoyed with a palace ball and turned the guests into an array of creatures. It got pretty bad when they began chasing each other as some were prey and others were hunters. The ballroom took weeks to fix and clean, luckily no one was really hurt. We scrambled to fix that one quickly, Loki and I both spent a month in our rooms for that; since he named me as an accomplice" Thor laughed. 

     "You’re the one who said they would be more interesting as animals, brother, it was completely your idea" Loki defended his decision. 

     "This isn't a team meeting" Tony's dry voice came from the doorway. His eye was bruise and his lip busted, he did not look impressed at the sight before him. Everyone looked from him, to you, unsure of what to do. 

     "It is, and you have to stay. Cap said meetings are mandatory" you said. Clint and Natasha quickly caught the other's eye and grabbed Tony by both his arms, dragging him down onto the cushioned surface. He tried to get up once more but Natasha sat on his back, keeping him still. You giggled, watching Tony struggle with the woman on his back until he eventually gave up and used a pillow to at least get comfortable. You clapped your hands together, getting everyone's attention once more. 

     "Alright Thor, let's continue!"


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter makes sense, it's Sunday and my brain doesn't want to cooperate today. Maybe I should go back to bed? Anyway, enjoy as much as you can!

     “(Y/N), can I speak with you?” Steve asked as you were walking down the hall, you stopped, spoon hanging out of your mouth and ice cream container in your hand. You had been on your way back up to Loki after going to get a snack.

     “Sure” you managed. Steve moved aside and let you into his room, then shutting the door. He motioned to a chair and you sat down, he sat across from you. “What’s this about?” You ask, a little uneasy with being alone with Steve. Loki was usually with you, or at the very least, Bucky.

     “I wanted to make sure you weren’t planning on doing anything” he paused, “well stupid” he finished. You narrowed your eyes at him. “What I mean is, you seemed pretty adamant to leave and now that you and Loki are” another pause. “Together, I’m worried you may try to take on Perses or Zeus yourself” Steve finished, looking quite embarrassed at his attempt of a pep talk.

     “I won’t lie, I’ve thought about it” you started, unsure of how to go about this conversation, you weren’t use to sharing with people. “However, Loki knows my magic, he could track me and that would put everyone in even more danger. I couldn’t risk it; far safer to keep an eye on everyone here” you smirked and Steve laughed.

     “Alright sounds good, just one other thing” he started, you nodded your head, signalling him to go ahead. “You said that they may send creatures after us, I was thinking that maybe you could teach us about these threats and what to expect”. You hadn’t thought of that, there would be lots of things the Avengers had never seen before.

     “That may be a good idea” you told him. Steve’s smile widened, more so than you thought possible. Was he really so easy to please? You laughed at his excitement as you both got up, ready to head back out to Loki when Natasha walked in.

     “Oh good, you’re here. Fury called, we have a mission. The team is waiting on the Quinjet” Natasha told you, both you and Steve nodded. You used your magic to change into battle amour while Steve went to the other room to change. When he came back out, you were sitting on the couch, still eating the ice cream.

     “Are you ready to go?” He asked. You nodded, letting the ice cream disappear as you followed him to the roof. Once there, Loki held a scowl on his face and you rolled his eyes.

     “Why were you with the Captain?” Loki asked, and you rolled your eyes. Was he really going to be jealous of Steve now?

     “Sheath for jealousy Prince, he was simply ensuring that I wasn’t going to take off in the dead of night to protect the team” you told Loki, then paused for a moment. “I think he also wants me to teach a class about possible threats we may face thanks to Perses finding me” you added, it was best to not leave anything out. Loki starred at you for a moment, then finally accepted your answer.

     “So you aren’t planning on taking off then? I would hate to have to chain to the bed” Loki’s smirk gave away his previous serious tone as the jet took off.

     “Sure you wouldn’t” you rolled your eyes, sitting down next to him.

     “Can you save that conversation for when we’re not all in a cramped space together, I do not need to hear about your sex life” Tony grumbled. Both you and Loki laughed but said nothing further on the topic. The scene of battle wasn’t too far away, and before you knew it, the jet was landing and everyone was going to work.  

     You lost track of Loki pretty quickly as the both of you went to work. You were back to full strength and it wouldn’t take long for the two of you get through the battle. You felt his magic and knew he was okay, you couldn’t say the same for the rest of the team however.

     “Tony’s down!” You heard Steve yell, sure enough the Iron Man suit could be seen falling out of the sky and towards you.

     “I got him!” You yelled out, running to catch Tony. You ran hard and fast, just barely getting there in enough time. You jumped onto a rock and off a tree, grabbing the suit a few feet from the ground and keeping it in your arms as you landed.

     “Let go of me, I’m fine!” Tony grumbled. You rolled your eyes, you had hoped he was unconscious. You set the suit down and seen it open up before Tony stepped out. He didn’t seem too banged up, a bruise was forming on his head but that was about it. You went to put your hand to his head but he swatted it away.

     “I was just going to heal you” you snap at him. If anything, you should be the one wary of him, he did shoot you not that long ago. You decided to leave it though, opting to try and help the others with the battle instead. Before you could leave though, there was a shout that sounded terribly familiar.

      “Tony, help me!” It called out. You could see his face turn from a scowl to one of horror as he looked around for the source of the voice.

     “Pepper”, he called out. You rolled your eyes and stalked back as the voice called out again. You grabbed Tony before he could go after it.

     “What the hell is wrong with you? I need to save her!” He yelled, pulling himself out of your grip but you grabbed him again.

     “It’s not Pepper, it’s a Crocotta” you tried to reason with him but as the voice called out you could tell he was split by confusion and fear for his beloved. “It’s a monster Tony, it can imitate peoples voices, I have dealt with them before” you tried to reason. You could always hear the difference in the voice, but humans couldn’t.

     “I need to save her!” He yelled at you before getting out of your grip and taking a run for it. You sighed, looking back at the team who were finishing the mission and then back to Tony. You had no choice but to go after him, if you didn’t, he would die.

     “I have got to stop saving his life” you mumble before taking off into a run. You found Tony quickly, being backed into a corner by the Crocotta. It was a dog-like creature, the size of a small horse with a stag’s back-end and lion’s neck, tail and chest. It had hooves and the face of a badger but its mouth opened right back to the creature’s ears. It snarled as Tony and you could see the ridges of sharp bone in its mouth.

     “Hey fugly, over here, come get me!” You called out to the creature. You held no blades at your side, they wouldn’t do any good anyway. Instead, you would have to focus on magic that you had not used since leaving Olympus. The creature was strong so when it turned too attacked, it butted you in a tree which promptly broke at the force. Its jaws snapped at you, but you managed to get a hand on its nose and chin, stopping it from closing around you.

     “What are you waiting for? Kill it!” Tony yelled out. You pushed the Crocotta away from you briefly, allowing yourself a moment before it attacked again.

     “I’m trying!” You snapped at Tony. You managed to push the creature down but you went with it as you tried to gain the upper hand. In a moment of confusion, you felt its large jaw snap around your midsection. You let out a groan but didn’t focus on the pain.

     “Close your eyes!” You yelled to Tony. You grabbed the creatures head, focusing energy into it. As you felt your magic build, the creature let go of you but you didn’t loosen your grip on it. There was a whimper from it before a loud bang. You caught your breath, this was not how you were expecting a routine mission to go.

     “Did you- did you blow it up?” Tony asked in horror. You looked up at him, guts had flown everywhere and the surrounding area, as well as Tony, was painted red. You rolled your eyes, not in the mood to explain why you did it, after all, you had new holes in your stomach that you had to heal. So instead, you glared as you heard the team rushing towards the both of you.

     “You’re welcome”.


	23. Chapter 23

     "This is disguising" Tony complained, trying to clean himself off. You were simply done with his complaining, the pain making you a little more irritable than usual. 

     "I'm sorry, would you rather I had let it kill you?" You asked, it seemed to shut him up for the time being. You glared at him before the team made their way over to you. Bucky was the first one to reach you and he looked down to see the puncture wounds. 

     "Loki!" He called out before you could protest and tell him that I was fine. Loki took notice of the urgency in his voice and in the next moment he was knelt in front of me, lifting up my shirt to check the wounds. 

     "What happened?" His voice was low and dangerous. The rest of the team were gathering around you and Tony, their expressions telling you that they were wondering the same thing. 

      "Crocotta" you seethed, still unhappy that the thing was here in the first place. You hated those creatures back on Olympus, mostly a nuisance creature. To humans though, they were deadly. Loki looked up at you, looking for more of an explanation than that. "A creature from Olympus, Tony fell for its lure so I jumped in to save him, got mauled in the process" you hissed as Loki touched one of the wounds. 

     "It was sent here to kill you?" Steve asked, surveying the damage as Loki did. You shook your head as Loki got up from his knees. 

     "Crocotta's may be annoying but there is no way it could kill a Titan, or a god" you motioned to Loki and Thor. "I think Zeus sent it here to kill some of you, thin the team" you started. "I don't know what else he will be sending, this is why I said I should leave."

     "No" Loki spoke firmly, cutting off any more of that talk before it could start. You rolled your eyes, he simply wasn't seeing reason. 

     "We talked about this already, you aren't leaving. We just need to be more prepared" Steve told you, adding to Loki's firm denial of your suggestion. You gave up with a sigh and a mumbled 'fine', you were in no mood to argue with them. 

     "I will take her back to the Tower" Loki told Steve as he bent down to pick you up. Steve nodded. 

     "We'll meet you there". 

***

     "I'm fine Loki, stop fretting over me" you tried to wiggle your way out of his arms but he wasn't having it. 

     "Stubborn Titan" he scolded, holding you tighter as he moved in the room, scanning it for any threats. He brought you to the bed, once he let go, you felt his magic grip you and keep you in place. 

     "You've got to be kidding me" you rolled your eyes. You tried to jerk your body away from the magic but you were too slow. 

     "If you can get out, then I will let you take care of yourself" Loki smirked. You tried, you really did but your magic was working on healing you and wasn't going to be swayed against that task. Loki left and came back with a few towels and a large bowl of water. 

     "Fine, I can't get out but that doesn't mean I can't take care of myself" you argued, huffing as Loki set to work wetting a towel and removing your top. 

     "Let me take care of you darling, you don't always need to be so tough" he spoke softly and you weren't use to it. You fumbled over words for a moment before opting to stay silent. The blood was coming off you quite well so Loki didn't have to rub too hard. When everything was clean, he wrapped a bandage around the area and changed you into loose fitting pajamas; ensuring that you were comfortable. 

     "Thank you" you whispered as he laid back down beside you on the bed. The magic left and you were able to move again, but you were tired. 

     "It's my pleasure Titan. Although I would prefer it if you didn't get hurt every few days, especially if it's to save Starks life" Loki told you. You laughed, it would make things so much simpler if you stopped helping him. You heard the team coming in, it was hard not to with all the arguing they were doing. 

     "Looks like our peace and quiet is over" you smiled as he nodded solemnly. 

     "It never seems to last long" he adds. He looks at you, his hand tracing down your face and neck before he reached around and brought your lips to his. 

     "Just go apologize" you heard a hushed angry tone just outside of the door. You rolled your eyes as Loki pulled away from you. He was tempted to go open the door, instead he saw that you were struggling to sit up, so he helped. 

     "I don't really think it was my fault" Tony countered in the same hushed and angry tone. You briefly wondered if the team would miss him if you stopped saving his life. 

     "You still never apologized for shooting her, start with that", it was Bucky's voice this time. You tried not to laugh, you could see Loki was simply annoyed with the intrusion. Suddenly, the door burst open and Tony fell in, landing in front of the bed very roughly. He looked up, shocked to realize what happened as you struggled not to laugh at him. 

     "Is there anything we can help you with, Stark?" Loki asked, a protective arm reaching around to pull you closer. You let him, not in the mood to fight about his jealous and protective ways. He got up, dusted himself off and glared at the two men still at the door. 

     "I came to thank you" he began, a little hesitantly. "For saving my life", he tried to turn away but Bucky and Steve both stood at the door glaring and blocking his path. He huffed and turned back around like a child being forced to do something that they clearly did not want to. "I also wanted to apologize" he began, it actually looked like it hurt him to say. "I should have listened to you, after all, you are the expert when it comes to these things", it sounded like he was rattling off a script and he barely looked at you. "Next time I will be more cautious and heed your warning", he turned back around. Steve and Bucky moved out of the way to let him by, he didn't take any time to stomp out of the room, not waiting to hear if his apology was accepted or not. 

     "How did you manage that?" You asked as Bucky and Steve came in and sat at the end of the bed. Loki scowled when they got too close to you, but your hand on his chest calmed him. 

     "We all threatened him but it took Bruce threatening to turn into the Hulk on the Quinjet, he actually started turning green before Tony agreed to it" Bucky laughed. 

     "Everyone is still quite angry at him for shooting you, and today just sort of made it worse" Steve sheepishly told you. 

     "Well tell the team thank you, but it was unnecessary. I don't think Tony and I are ever going to get along" you told them and they nodded. 

     "Would you be up to coming downstairs to see everyone?" Steve asked, trying to avoid the glare that Loki was giving him again. 

     "She needs to heal. Not socialize" he spat. Steve looked upset for a moment before he smiled and nodded. 

     "He's right, you should rest up, we'll send someone up with breakfast in the morning" Steve offered and you nodded, mumbling a thank you. They left and closed the door quietly. You were able to lay back down on the bed with help from Loki. He went to get up but you grabbed his arm. 

     "Where are you going?" You asked, trying not to sound as panicked as you felt. You mentally cursed yourself, when had you become so attached to Loki?

     "I'm just turning out the light darling" he told you. You could tell he was trying not to laugh at you and you appreciated his restraint. The light as off and he climbed back in bed, pulling the covers over both your bodies. He was careful not to touch any of the wounds as he pulled you into him. 

     "You don't have to stay with me, I can rest on my own" you tried, feeling bad for your panicked outburst a few moments around. His hand grabbed yours and wrapped around your upper torso. He kissed your neck as he finished getting comfortable. 

     "You can't get rid of me that easily, Titan" he snickered. "Rest darling, you will feel better in the morning".


	24. Chapter 24

     You woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. Loki was asleep beside you, undisturbed from your quick awakening. You tried to calm your breathing and your heart rate. It had been years since you had a nightmare, you had thought they were done coming to you in the middle of the night. You're stomach growled, you needed to calm down and get something to eat. 

     Deciding a walk would do the trick to calm you, you gently threw the blankets off your legs and got up. You were careful not to wake Loki, he needed the rest as well. You used your magic to go to the living room, this way you would not have to stumble in the dark. You turned on a light over the stove and jumped when you noticed Tony sitting at the table. 

     “Sorry, I didn’t realize anyone else was up” you said quickly, hoping he wasn’t about to shoot you again. After all, you were still healing from deep wounds in your abdomen. 

     "Couldn't sleep?" Tony asked. His hands held a glass with amber liquid in it, the bottle of scotch sitting in front of him as well. 

     "No, I thought some food would help" you answered, unsure why you were conversing with him. You bent down and opened the fridge, only finding left over pizza that seemed to peak your interest. You took the box out and microwaved a few slices, intending on taking them back to your room. 

     "Are you still in a lot of pain?" Tony asked. Now this was getting really suspicious. Your eyes narrowed at him, wondering why he was asking. 

     "No, it's getting better. It won't take me too long to heal, although with my track record, I will get hurt again shortly after" you admitted. Since getting your powers back, you had spent more time healing than actually using them. Tony nodded, and took a drink. 

     "What are you doing awake anyway? Humans need sleep to function, you should be in bed" you tell him, taking your pizza out. You brought it to the counter, wasting no time in beginning to eat a slice. Tony looked like he wasn't quite sure what to say. 

     "Nightmare" it was a quiet confession, so quiet that you almost didn't hear it over the sound of your own chewing. You put the pizza down and sighed. 

     "From New York, right?" You asked, from the glare he gave you, you knew you were right. You pulled out a chair and sat down, materializing a glass which you filled with the scotch on the table. "It's not hard to figure out Stark, it was a brutal battle and although I wasn't in the country when it happened, I saw the footage" you added. 

      "You don't know what it was like" he started, stopping when you gave him a glare. He started drinking again and you took a deep breath. You weren't fond of Tony, but he was suffering. 

      "Do you really think that I have never dealt with this? I am over two thousand years old Stark" you began, getting his attention. "I escaped Olympus with my daughter by the skin of my teeth, it wasn't easy. I killed people, good people, in order to get out. I told myself that I did what I had to do. I got hurt, I almost died getting her out and then I had to leave her" you paused, thinking back to that say was not something you did often. You blinked away the tears. "I still sometimes have nightmares about it, about what Zeus will do to me if he finds me. It's not just him either, Hera will have some sort of creative punishment planned and there's no telling what Perses will do" you stopped to take a deep breath. 

     "So why here? Why did you suddenly start stealing from me?" He looked like he had wanted to ask that question for a while. 

     "I had helped an old friend. He didn't know I was there but he was getting suspicious; he knew my magic well. That was in Sweden, so I came to New York but he followed me. I thought if you had pissed you off enough, you would keep me locked up and I could lay low for a year or two. Long enough so him to forget about me. I didn't plan on the rest of the team being so-" you paused, thinking for the right word. "nice". Tony snorted at this, the liquor finally getting to his brain. 

     "They aren’t always so nice, I was surprised when they gave you and Loki a chance" he admitted, although you knew that, he didn't hide it well. "So, is a nightmare why you are up in the middle of the night?" You nodded your head and started on your second slice of pizza. 

      "I thought they were finally gone. I imagine the events over the past few days probably triggered them again" you told him. As odd as it was having a civil conversation with Tony, you were actually enjoying it. 

     "Do you want to watch a movie, since we're up anyway?" He asked and you laughed, it had been the last thing you were expecting. 

     "Sounds great". 

***

     "Are they dead?" You heard a voice ask, Bucky, you thought. Your eyes were closed and you didn’t want to wake up just yet. 

     "If he killed her, I will string him up by his toes, gut him and let the birds feast on his flesh" you heard Loki hiss and a few disgusted protests from other voices you couldn't place. 

     "I'm not dead" you mumbled, turning yourself into the pillow you were cuddling. "Let me sleep" you added. You felt a cool hand touch your thigh, you knew it was Loki without having to open your eyes. 

     "Darling, what are you doing sleeping on the couch? And with Stark in such close proximity, that simply seems dangerous" Loki asked. You sighed, resigning yourself to the fact that it was morning and it was time to get up. Plus, the Avengers, who were certainly surrounding you, sounded worried. 

     "I had a nightmare and Tony was already awake. We decided to watch a movie" you tell him, rubbing your eyes and yawning. You had whispered it, just loud enough for Loki to hear. 

     "He didn't hurt you?" Loki asked, still concerned, although your wounds should be almost all healed by now. You shook your head and held out your hands to him. He took the hint and helped you to your feet. You looked over to see Tony still passed out. 

     "You didn't kill him, right? Because that would be bad too" Bucky asked, poking Tony in the cheek but he didn't get a response. 

     "I think he is just hung over, he drank a lot" you told them. You reached out your foot and kicked him a little, seeing if he would wake up. 

     "Go away" he groaned in pain, trying to open his eyes but then covering them when he realized the sun was peeking through the blinds. You couldn't help but laugh. 

     "See, still alive!" 


	25. Chapter 25

     "Shrugging your shoulders is not an acceptable answer, (Y/N)!" Loki hissed at you in a panic. You knelt beside the beeping canister, opening a side panel and letting the wires pool out. 

     "Yes, it is!" You told him as you began to find which wire you needed to cut. It was well made, and you were having trouble diffusing it. 

     "Not when my question was, 'Is this thing going to explode?'" Loki growled at you but still kept guard. You could hear the rest of the team fighting the battle going on outside, it served as a reminder that if you didn't do something about the bomb, they would all die. You switched around a few wires and the beeping sound got faster. 

     "Well that's not good" you mumbled, ignoring Loki's exasperated look. You went back in, trying to find the proper connect. 

     "How are you making out in there?" You heard Steve over the communication piece on your ear but you ignored him. You needed to concentrate on the bomb. 

     "Well, the bad news is she may get us all killed. The good news is it will be a quick death" Loki told the team. You muttered a 'shut up' as you pulled out the last wire. Your breath stopped for a quick moment, and much to your relief, so did the beeping. 

     "See, I told you I knew what I was doing!" You told Loki as he helped you up. He smiled and gave you a quick kiss. 

     "I never doubted you darling" he laughed and you rolled your eyes, not believing him even for a moment. The rest of the team began to file in. None of them looked like they took too bad of a beating but some rest was definitely in order. 

     "All done?" Natasha asked and you nodded. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, happy it was finally time to leave and head back to the tower. 

     "Don't forget it's Pepper's birthday, so everyone should try and hide those cuts and bruises for the party!" Tony announced. Everyone groaned but nodded along as they got on the jet. As the door closed, you leaned into Loki and rested your head on his shoulders. You were looking forward to laying down in bed, but with Pepper's party tonight, it was going to be a time crunch. 

     It wasn't long before the jet landed again and the Avengers filed out, heading back to their own rooms to get ready or take a nap. You and Loki both stumbled into the room and fell into the couch. 

     "Are you sure we cannot get out of this party?" You asked Loki as you curled yourself into him, hugging your legs and resting your head on his shoulders. You wanted to sleep but couldn't let yourself just yet. 

     "Unfortunately, he seems to be making an effort to include and not attack us. It would look bad if we were not there to reciprocate the effort" Loki tells you. You know his right, but you're still not happy about it. 

     "Do we have time for a nap?" Was your next question. The training and missions were going almost non-stop, plus the extra magic training that you and Loki were doing after hours. You had balked at the idea, but he made a point in saying you were both rusty. It also helped you work together, knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses but it was beginning to take a toll on both of you. 

     "Yes, I think we do" he answered and that was all it took before the two of you were fast asleep on the couch. 

***

     "There you two are! We were beginning to worry" Thor smiled at you and Loki as two both walked in. You were a little late, but the party was only just getting started so you assumed it was okay. 

     "We were just taking a quick nap" you told him. He passed both you and Loki a drink and you thanked him. You looked around at the people, you hardly recognized anyone but would occasionally see one of the Avengers mingling with others. 

     "Have you told her yet, brother?" Thor asked. Loki rolled his eyes and grumbled about his brother being an oaf. 

     "Tell me what?" You asked, being brought back to the conversation by your curiosity. You looked between Thor and Loki, wondering what they could possibly be talking about. 

     "It was supposed to be a surprise" Loki paused to glare at him brother. "Thor and I need to take a trip home so the All Father can see the progress I have made", you knew Loki would not be happy about that. Instinctively, you reached out to him, grabbing his hand. "As you know, this will not be a pleasurable trip and I owe you an adventure. I thought it would be nice for you to come with us". 

      "You want to take me to Asgard?" You asked, a little dumbfounded. You hadn't thought about it before, you hadn't even thought about Loki having to return. 

     "I think it's a wonderful idea, you can keep Loki out of trouble with our Father while exploring the grounds" Thor chimed in. After your initial shock, you looked to Loki. You could see the hope in his eyes that you would go with him, you couldn't tell him no. 

     "Of course, I will come, it sounds wonderful" you lied. You were nervous but Loki had been so caught up in himself to even notice your lie; or so you hoped. 

     "Wonderful! We leave in a few days, I will make all the preparations!" Thor announced before taking off into the crowd. You finished your drink and set the glass down. 

     "Don't think I didn't notice you lie, Titan" Loki smirked and you cursed, you thought you had been in the clear. "I am fully aware you are doing this for me, and I appreciate it. I swear I will make this trip fun for you" Loki promised, kissing your cheek. 

     "I'll hold you to that, Prince". 

***

     As the night wore on, you and Loki entertained yourself by watching the guest as they became bolder and far too drunk. Clint already challenged someone to a race, for what reason, you weren't sure but it was an entertaining race, that he lost. Thor handed out the Asgardian liquor, which is when you and Loki swooped in to take it away from Tony. 

     "No, there is no way I am putting you to bed again and risking you flashing me" you growled at him. Pepper had left the party long ago, telling the Avengers that a drunk Tony would be there problem. You wanted to be angry with her, but you also didn't blame her, Tony was difficult to say the least. 

      "Oh, come on, I can handle one drink" he whined. You gave the liquor back to Thor who shared it with Bucky and Steve. They could handle the liquor at least. 

     "She said no, do you really want an angry Titan at a party full of very breakable people?" Loki asked, smirking as he did so. Tony seemed to think about it before finally giving up and going back to his own liquor stash. You were about to turn around when you felt a hand grab your backside. You slowly turned around to glare at a man who was barely able to stand on his own. 

     "Did you just grab me?" You asked, your voice low and angry. Loki glared at the man also but knew better than to get in your way. 

     "Come on baby, I'm just having some fun", you were seeing red. You turned your heard around to the others briefly. 

     "Does anyone care about this particular mortal?" Bucky, Thor and Steve were quick to shake their heads and Loki laughed. "Good" you mumbled as you materialized a dagger in your hand. You moved quick, the knife stabbing through the offending hand before picking him up and throwing him across the room. Everyone starred in your direction for a moment. 

     "He'll live!" Bruce called out after looking at the man briefly. Everyone accepted this and went back to the party. You turned around to Bucky and Steve starring at you. 

     "What? They need to learn that their actions have consequences" you told the two super soldiers who were quick to agree, not wanting to make you angry. 

     "Yes, I believe you taught him a very good lesson darling. Now, why don't we go and enjoy the rest of our evening?" He asked with a suggestive smirk. 

     "Lead the way". 


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short chapter, but more to come soon!

     "Loki!" You screamed through the tower. He had been hiding from you for hours now after a prank he pulled that turned your shower water blue. You were dyed that colour now are you looked for him. You had tried to fix it with your own magic but that only made it turn a deeper blue. Of course, he had expected that. 

     "Whoa, what happened to you?" Tony asked as you walked into the kitchen. You glared at him and the rest of the team who were now starring at you, confused. 

     "I am going to kill your brother!" You told Thor, a finger pointing towards him. He looked like he wanted to laugh but was thoroughly frightened about what you would do to him. 

     "I did advise you that he gets mischievous when he is bored" Thor answered, still holding back a giggle. 

     "Well, we will see how bored he is after I'm through with him" you warned and the others now looked worried too. 

     "Please don't destroy my tower again, we're still fixing from the Clash of the Titans" Tony told you with a sigh. You glared at him and he backed away in defense. You were on your search again with Bucky, Thor and Steve following you. 

     "Maybe we can fix it ourselves!" Steve's optimistic attitude was not what you wanted right now. You turned a corner and headed to the roof. It was the only place you hadn't checked yet. You walked quickly but the others kept up. You burst through the door to find Loki standing sheepishly in the middle of the roof. 

     "You found me" he said, a slightly laugh to his voice as he took in your appearance. The laugh stopped however when he seen your glare. "It was just a prank!" He quickly tried to defend himself. You walked up to him and smiled sweetly. 

     "Reverse it before I kill you", you could see him visibly stiffen as he worked his magic right away. Soon, you were back to your normal colour and heading back inside. You stopped at the door and turned around. "Oh, and don't think for a second that you've gotten away with this, there will be hell to pay" you smile before heading back inside. 

     "She's going to kill me" Loki said to the others as he starred at the door way. Thor put his hand comfortingly on his brother's shoulders and looked him in the eyes. 

     "Most definitely". 

***

      "I haven't seen Loki since this morning, is he hiding from you?" Thor asked coming into the kitchen. You were seated at the table with one of Stark's devices in your hands. He had actually asked for your help with this project (although it had been your idea), instead of getting someone else to do it. You looked up from your work as Thor sat down. 

     "He is around, probably sulking" you told Thor who narrowed his eyes at you. You smiled and went back to your device. 

     "At least assure me he is in no danger" Thor asked with a sigh. There was no point in getting in the middle of this, he would simply end up a target. 

     "As long as he doesn't do anything stupid, he should be fine" you told Thor who nodded, it was more of an answer than he was expecting. It was almost time for supper when Steve came into the kitchen, getting ready to cook for everyone. 

     "How is working with Tony coming?" Steve asked as he began to get out pots, pans and some vegetables. You shrugged your shoulders. 

     "He is still an arrogant asshole but he hasn't tried to murder me in a while so good, I suppose" you answer and Steve nods. A small black cat suddenly leaps onto the table and you smile. 

     "When did we get a cat?" Steve asked and Thor's angry eyes shifted towards you. You almost giggle, there was no fooling Thor. 

     "Have you learned your lesson, Loki?" You ask the cat with a little scratch on his chin. He purrs and turns around, trying to catch your arm to be pet. 

     "That's Loki?" Steve asked, a little confused. He looked a little closer, as if that would help him understand and Loki hissed. "Yeah, that seems like Loki" Steve confirmed. 

     "Are you going to turn him back? I would very much prefer my brother to a cat" Thor asked and you sighed. 

     "Fine, I suppose he has learned his lesson. Off the table Loki!" You told him. He eagerly jumped off and turned to face you. Soon the small black cat turned into a full grown, pissed off looking, Asgardian God. 

     "Was that really a necessary punishment?" Loki asked and you smiled at him. 

     "Yes, it was my darling. You should know better than to pull a prank on me and think you could get away with it" you told him. He huffed but leaned down to kiss you. You deepened the kiss much to the groans of the other two in the kitchen. 

     "Maybe the cat was better" Thor laughed as Loki broke away. He glared at him brother but didn't say anything, simply sat down beside you. Thor took advantage of his brother's silence. "We should leave for Asgard tomorrow; Mother is anxious to see us". 

     "What do you think, darling?" Loki asked as you had gone back to fiddling with the device in your hands. 

     "As long as I can get this working, sure" you told Loki. He peered down at the small device in your hands, although he did not understand what you were doing. 

     "What's is for?" Loki asked, curious now. 

     "Steve, Tony and I were talking about our trip to Asgard. There is still a threat here from Perses and the others and this little device" you held it up, as if to make a point. "Will allow the team to contact us if they need help; even while we are on another realm" you finished. 

     "That's brilliant" Loki smiled, giving you another kiss. 

     "Thanks, now if only I can get it working" you huffed. There was a clicking sound and you made a victory yell as the device began to glow a light blue. 

     "That means it works?" Thor asked as soon they were able to hear Tony running down the hall, screaming at the top of his lungs. 

     "It's working!" 


	27. Chapter 27

     "Are you sure about this?" Loki asked for what felt like the hundredth time as you got ready. You were in the bathroom combing out your hair and dress in a traditional Olympus dress with a golden headpiece weaved through your hair. You sighed nervously, moving your hands to fiddle with your white and gold dress. 

     "Yes, Loki, it is important to you and I said I would go" you yelled at him from the bathroom. You looked yourself over once more, it felt weird to be dressed like this again, but Loki insisted upon it. You were royalty after all, even if you weren't from Asgard. 

     "Come on out darling, Thor will be waiting for us" Loki called out and you sighed. It was about time you left the safety of the bathroom anyway. Loki's back was turned to you when you came out, you seen that he wore his Asgardian amour however his helmet was missing. 

     "Alright, let's go!" You tried to sound cheerful. He whipped around and you could tell that he wanted to say something because his mouth was opened. "Loki? Are you okay?" You asked as no sounds came out of his mouth. He blinked a few times before snapping out of it. 

     "You look beautiful" he answered and you smiled, looking down at your feet to hide your blush. You weren't sure why you were being shy all of a sudden, Loki had seen you naked, there was no reason to be shy anymore. 

     Before you could thank him, he wrapped you up in his arms and kissed you passionately. He hiked up the skirt and picked you up as you wrapped your legs around his waist. You could feel him moving before you were thrown on the bed. You looked up to see him grinning before he captured your lips again. 

     He moved on top of your quickly, his kisses trailing down to your neck as you moaned his name. His hand reached up underneath your dress and made its way up your thigh as the door opened. 

     "We don't have time for this!" Thor loudly announced, causing Loki to growl possessively and cover you up. You laughed though and managed to get your dress down enough so that Loki could get off of you. 

     "You could have knocked, brother" Loki fumed as he helped you up from the bed. You smoothed out your dress once up. 

     "I did, you were both too busy to hear it apparently" Thor scolded before looking to you and taking in your attire. "You look wonderful Lady Asteria, like the Titans I use to read about" he complimented. 

     "Thank you, Thor, but we really should be going" you offered, trying to get both boys to calm down and head out. You met the team outside before leaving. "Now, remember how these devices work. I will have one on Asgard and you have one here. If there is trouble, you push the button and mine will give off a blue glow, signalling us to come back right away" you lectured the team. Your device was held on a chain around your neck, much smaller than the one you were leaving with the team. 

     "I'm sure everything will be fun, enjoy your trip" Steve reassured everyone. You nodded, not wanting to argue with him. "We will see you all when you get back" he finished. You nodded and said goodbye to the rest of the team, not risking hugs with Loki already in a foul mood. You waved to them as Thor stuck his hammer to the sky. 

     "Take us home Heimdall!" He cried out. The Bifrost opened Loki grabbed you protectively as you were lifted into the air. It didn't take long before you were thrust into a large golden dome with a large man standing in the center. 

     "Welcome home princes" Heimdall bowed his head but looked at you with curiosity. "I was not aware you were bringing a guest" he spoke, slightly taken back. Loki and Thor both looked at each other confused as well. 

     "Sorry about that" you started before turning to Loki. "Precautions against Zeus finding me, I am not just hidden to him, but from everyone" you explained and Loki nodded. 

     "Heimdall, may I introduce you to Lady Asteria, a Titan of Olympus. She is here as my guest" Loki introduced you and you bowed your head as he did the same. 

     "And their courting" Thor added with a mischievous smirk. Both you and Loki turned to glare at him. 

     "The Queen Mother will be most pleased" Heimdall answered before taking his post once more and Loki ushered you out of the dome. You all began walking instead of using magic, using this time to berate Thor. 

     "Did you have to tell him we were courting?" Loki hissed and Thor laughed, his voice echoing off the Bifrost. 

     "Well you are" Thor defended. "Did you really expect to hide it from Mother and Father? You two can barely keep your hands off each other for more than five minutes" Thor grimaced as he remembered walking in on the two of you this morning. "And Loki gets possessive every time someone goes near you" he pointed out to you. You had to admit, he was right. 

     "Courting just sound so official" you tell him. They both laughed but Loki hugged and kissed your temple. The rest of the trick was quiet as you walked into town. Thor and Loki waved to the locals who bowed their heads at their princes. You simply looked around, taking in all of Asgard. 

     You watched as the palace came into view, large and golden, much like the rest of the city. You walked up the steps as the guards bowed and opened the doors for the prince. Once inside, Loki smiled. 

     "Where to first?" Loki asked both you and Thor. You simply shrugged, this wasn't your home, you would simply follow Loki wherever it pleased him to go. 

     "Well I am going to go give Father an update on your punishment and then meet up with Sif and the Warriors Three for drinks" Thor announced. 

     "Then we will go visit Mother" Loki concluded. Thor nodded and took off one way while you took Loki arm and headed off in another direction. You were nervous, you hadn't dated in a few thousand years, you weren't sure what to expect. "Relax darling, mother will love you, just try not to stab anyone" Loki joked and you rolled your eyes. 

     "Well I can promise that I will not stab your mother" you offered and Loki laughed even harder, his whole-body heaving. 

     "Well, that is all I can ask for" he confessed. You laughed but you were still nervous, nothing Loki did seemed to be able to calm you down. 

     "Where are we going, anyway?" You asked, hoping for a distraction from your own, terrible, thoughts of his mother hating you. 

     "The gardens, at this time a day Mother should be having tea with the other noble women of the court" he explained and your face turned white. You had been nervous enough about meeting his mother, since he held her in such high esteem, now you also had to put up with other noble women. "Don't worry, if they bug you, you have my full permission to stab them" Loki smiled. 

     "I don’t need your permission" you scoffed and Loki simply shook his head. You could see the gardens now so you stood up straight, head held high and smiled, like you had been taught to do on Olympus so many years ago. Loki did the same you noticed, kept his head held high like the prince he was, even if he had fallen from grace. 

     "My son! How wonderful it is to see you!" His mother, you assumed, stood up and made her way over. You let go of Loki's arm as he embraced her. Once they separated, Loki's arm made his way back around your waist. 

     "Mother, may I introduce you to my wonderful Lady?" She turned to you and smile. "Asteria, a Titan of Olympus" he finished and you bowed your head. 

     "Asteria, this is my mother, Frigga, Allmother and Queen of Asgard" Loki introduced as she took your head. 

     "So lovely to meet you darling. I wish Loki had told me he was courting someone, I would have been more prepared" she smiled sweetly. "Come, sit with me" she ushered you both to a free table. You could hear the woman around you whispering and gossiping. It made you nervous, not because of what they inevitable would be saying, but because it was been ingrained to you that when people whispered, you expected an attack. 

     You tried to involve yourself in their conversation, nodded when someone was directed at you and griped Loki's hand when you didn't know how to respond. Frigga seemed to sense your unease and tried to include you as well. 

     "I hope you don't think it rude me dear, but I thought the Titan had been whipped out?" Frigga asked. You smiled at her. 

     "Not at all, my Queen. A lot of the Titans were killed, however there are a few who survived" you told her. You were not going to get into why you were all killed or why you were no longer on Olympus. 

     "I'm sorry to hear that, my dear, it must have been very terrible" she grasped your hand and squeezed, offering you’re a sincere smile before turning to Loki. "Where is your brother?"

     "Oh, after seeing Father he was going to visit his friends" Loki offered without hesitation and his mother sighed. 

     "Go find him please and tell him that I would like to see him" his mother asked and Loki laughed but nodded his head and got up. He held out his hands and helped you to your feet. 

     "Come darling, it seems we must go find Thor and his idiotic friends". 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's late, my tablet is dying and I cannot find the charger; so I hope there aren't too many mistakes!

     "I have to say darling, you were much calmer than I had expected you to be" Loki laughed as you both walked through the halls of the palace. You stared at him, wondering if he thought you would actually stab someone. You were trying to be on your best behaviour, for him.

     "What do you mean? I am always calm" you retorted as you looked around the walls. You looked at the delicate designs and the paintings, they were all very beautiful. Loki laughed at your statement and shook his head.

     "No, you are not, you are usually a few seconds away from beginning a fight at all times" he told you and you rolled your eyes.

     "Well, you're no better" you told him, and he laughed once more.

     "You are correct there" he agreed. "Thor and his friends should be in the parlour, they enjoy drinking there. I must warn you, they can be rather blatant and flirty at the best of times and downright shameful at the worst" he started. "Except for Sif, she is a mighty warrior and I think you may actually like her" Loki mused.

     "Well, meeting them should be intriguing then" you smiled as he turned a corner. His hand was a door knob as you heard a crash from the other side and screams of joy and laughter to follow. You both sighed before opening the door and walking in.

     "Brother! Lady Asteria! I did not think we would be seeing you for the rest of the evening!" Thor joked. You and Loki both rolled your eyes at Thor this time.

     "We do have some self-control, Thor" you scolded him. “Besides, we wouldn’t even be here if your mother didn’t send us to find you” you added. Loki laughed at your annoyed tone, you had wanted to see Asgard, not come find the oaf.

     “Regardless, you are here now, sit and drink with us!” Thor got up and ushered you both for a couch, pushing you down. “Don’t stab me!” Thor said quickly, unsure of who he should be more worried about. He moved away quickly and got you both a drink, shoving them in your hands quickly and moving back to his chair in an instant.

     “I don’t think he is going to let us leave willingly” you whispered over to Loki who simply snickered in agreement.

     “Don’t do that, I don’t trust either of you when you do that” Thor scolded. You smiled and shrugged. “Anyway, Asteria, may I introduce you to the lovely Sif” he pointed out the only other woman in the room, you could have guessed who she was. “And the warriors three, Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun” he pointed them out as he went, and you nodded at each of them.

     “Nice to meet you all”, your tone was polite, and a smile was held firmly on your lips. You had hoped to prove Loki wrong, you could remain calm if you had to; although you assumed Thor’s friends were not going to make it easy.

     “And friends, this is Lady Asteria, a Titan from Olympus and Loki’s lover” Thor chuckled as both you and Loki glared at him. The warriors were awestruck, they had heard stories of the Titans, just as the brothers had, but thought they were a myth now that they had grown. They berated you with questions, all of which you tried to answer, but avoided the tough subjects.

     “I think that is enough” Loki warned. He could sense you were getting angry with all the questions. You had tried to remain calm, but given up on proving Loki wrong, you temper was getting the better of you once more. Fandral gave a hearty laugh, getting and up patting Loki on the back. Loki did not seem impressed by this and you were on guard instantly.  

     “Relax Loki, we are simply trying to get to know the woman who has melted your cold heart” he joked. Loki was upset, he didn’t like Thor’s friends anyway and what should have been good-natured teasing, seemed more malicious to you now. You turned to Loki, with no hint of a smile.

     “Can I stab him?” you asked, and Loki shrugged. He sat back in the chair now that Fandral had move from behind him and watched as Thor’s expression changed from amusement to fear.

     “You do not need my permission, darling” he told you, echoing what you had told him earlier. You got a mischievous smirk on your face as a dagger appeared in your hands.

     “Is she being serious?” Fandral asked, looking a little frightened. If even half the stories he had heard of the Titans were true, then the fear in his eyes was more than justified. Loki simply chuckled as you played with the dagger in your hands. Thor sunk further into his chair, ale in hand.

     “You should run” Thor told him, no hints of joking in his tone. That was all he needed and Fandral was out of the door. Everyone laughed, you didn’t think Fandral was going to be back any time soon.

     “I think I am going to like you” Sif smiled at you, you tipped your glass to her and winked.

***

     You and Loki had finally managed to leave Thor and his friends. You were both a little drunk, Thor kept giving you both new and overly full drinks every time you finished one. You were making your way to Loki’s room, his hands roaming all over your body. Luckily, no one else seemed to be roaming the halls now. Loki’s hands made their way from your hips to your breasts as he hugged you from behind.

     Suddenly, you shoved Loki’s hands away from you and pushed him into the wall. He groaned as he collided with hard wall.

     “Well I like-“ he stopped as your hand covered his mouth to stop his from talking. He looked at you like you were crazy. You held a finger up to your lips, telling him to be quiet before removing your hand. “What the hell are you doing, Titan?” He angrily whispered at you.

     Instead of answer, you peaked into the throne room. Loki did the same just underneath you. Odin was sitting on his throne, a man in front of him. The man wore sandals with wings on them as well as a metal hat with golden wings on either side. You cursed and moved back into the hall, motioning for Loki to follow you. You headed back to the parlour in haste, Loki didn’t ask questions yet, he simply followed.

     You burst through the door, surprising Hogun, Volstagg and Sif; Thor however, didn’t budge. You glared at them all for a moment, you didn’t want them to hate you but you had no time for pleasantries now.

     “Get out” you told them firmly. You needed to speak with the brothers alone. Thor got up, holding his hand out to stop his friends who were getting out.

     “I trust them, I’m sure whatever it is, you can tell all of us” Thor told you and Loki was quick to glare at his brother.

     “If you think I am taking any chances with my Lady’s safety, then you are even more moronic than I believed you to be” Loki seethed. Thor starred at his brother for a long moment, as if they were having a telepathic conversation.

     “I will meet up with you later” Thor told the warriors as they began to file out of the room. You slammed the door shut and turned back around.

     “Someone was speaking with Odin, someone she did not seem happy to see. Who was it?” Loki explained to Thor, catching him up on as many details as he had. You sighed and rubbed your temples, sitting in one of the chairs.

     “His name is Hermes, he is Zeus’s messenger”.


	29. Chapter 29

     "Did you tell Odin of my presence here?" You asked Thor, who had promptly sat down once his friends had left. You suspected he had consumed far too much ale. He looked pale and like he may be sick at any moment. 

     "No, I have not. When I went to update him on Loki's punishment, he was already in a meeting; I thought it best not to interrupt" Thor told you. That was good, it means Odin had no information on your whereabouts. 

     "Good, we can work with that" Loki said, following your own train of thought. "We need to get you out of here before they find out then" Loki's mind was working fast. He did not want you to get into another fight, you had been getting hurt a lot lately. 

     "Maybe if we just spoke with Father, he would understand" Thor tried to reason with you. His speech was a little slurred so it was hard to take him seriously in that moment. Both you and Loki stopped to glare at Thor. 

     "Zeus is a powerful ally and a terrible enemy, if given the chance, I am sure Odin would give me up in a heartbeat. Besides, there is no telling what Hermes actually told him about me, I am positive that I am not painted in the best light" you told Thor. Thor nodded, seemingly giving in to the idea that Odin may not be the help they wanted. 

     "We should-" Loki started but the door slamming opened stopped him in his tracks. All three of you looked over to see Odin with two large guards standing in the doorway. You could see the top part of Hermes helmet, hidden behind the guard's large physique. 

     "Seize her" Odin commanded, the guards came towards you menacingly but you didn’t move. Instead, Loki pulled you to his side, shielding you with his own body. "I see you have not changed, protecting a criminal" Odin spat. Thor managed to get out of his chair, after a few attempts and stood by your side as well. 

     "She is not a criminal father, and Loki has changed", you could tell Thor was trying very hard not to slur his words. You should have never let him drink so much. Odin looked very displeased with both of his sons, his frown turning into a scowl. "Loki has turned into a wonderful brother, comrade and whatever you two are" Thor waved his hands over in your direction. 

     "You two are courting?" Odin asked, his surprise was evident but you looked away to glare at Thor. Loki stood up straight, his grip around you tightening. 

     "Yes, I am courting this wonderful woman and there is nothing you can do or say to keep me away from her" Loki warned. Odin seemed to  accept that as a challenge rather than a fact. 

     "Did she tell you she was married?" Odin asked and you rolled your eyes, was that the best he could come up with? You were certain all sorts of rumors and lies were floating around about you, that was by far the tamest. 

     "Yes, actually I have met Perses and I am not a fan. We ended the meeting with him getting thrown out a window" Loki told him. 

     "You threw her husband out a window?" Odin asked, his surprised face was back now and you had to fight yourself from laughing. 

     "No, she did that" Loki clarified. "Also, I am fully aware she has a child with Perses, it does not change my mind" Loki added before Zeus could say anything. Odin opened his mouth to speak again but the ground rumbled and shook, forcing his mouth shut. You gripped onto Loki as you tried to stay upright. 

     The shaking stopped almost as soon as it began and all three of you looked around warily. "What was that?" Loki asked as Thor got up from the ground, where he had fallen, tentatively. He made his way over to the window, carefully making sure he wouldn't fall. 

     "I'm not sure, but I have a feeling it isn't good" you added. Thor backed away from the window a little bit. You looked back to see that Odin, the guards and Hermes had already left. You briefly wondered where, but obviously, there were more pressing matters at hand.

     "It is definitely not good; damn trolls" Thor mumbled. You ran over to the window to see Trolls gathering around the castle, knocking their way into the castle. 

     "That's impossible, trolls rarely leave the mountain side or their caves. What would they be doing here?" Loki asked. You could see the guards trying to fight them off and loosing badly. 

     "Well that's something you may want to ask them" you told Loki. He headed over to the window as well, peering over your head at the grounds below. Just as Thor had told him, trolls were breaking down parts of the castle to get in.

     "Why can't we ever just have a nice, quiet day?" You asked Loki who simply shakes his head before kissing you on your temple. Thor was already racing into action, his armor on with a loud crack of thunder and hammer in his hands. He took off without a second glance back at the two of you; however, he only made it as far as the door before falling over. 

     "Are you sure you can fight, brother?" Loki asked as Thor picked himself up from the ground. He dusted himself off and turned to smile at the two of you. 

     "Of course, I can. I am the God of Thunder!" Thor yelled before picking up where he left off and running out of the room. 

     "He's going to get himself killed" you told Loki who nodded in agreement. You and Loki both sighed, using your magic to change into your own armor. 

     "On a positive note, maybe Hermes will get himself killed and we will no longer have to worry about that particular problem" Loki smiled and you shook your head. 

     "If only we were that lucky" you laughed. You both left the parlor room, running amid the building chaos of the palace. You followed Loki quickly towards the throne room. You both peered inside, however no one was there. Both you stepped inside to ensure there weren't people hiding, but still no one. You sighed and turned to face Loki who seemed to be in a slight panic now.

     "I need to find my mother" Loki started, heading towards the door. You followed him out but stopped him in the hall. Noble women and men alike were running around frantically, trying to save themselves from the attack. You were positive that none of them knew where they were going, they were simply running because they couldn't do anything else.  

     "You need to lead the guards, you’re a prince and you have responsibilities. Plus, if you're not there, who is going to watch over the drunk oaf?" you asked him firmly. He wasn't happy that you were telling him what to do. Normally, you would be the last person advising him to do anything, but in the heat of battle, you both needed to do what was best for the masses. 

     "My mother is more important" he spoke firmly, willing you to fight him on this. There wasn't any time for a fight though, unless you wanted to be arguing while you fought trolls. The people screaming were getting louder and it was getting harder to hear Loki. A large crash had you both shaking again as you tried to stay upright. A few people that you could see fell to the ground before scrambling to get back up. The trolls were getting closer. 

     "Don't give your father a reason to keep you here, in prison and away from me. I need you in the fight to come, so I will find your mother and I will keep her safe" you told him. His expression softened and he kissed you quickly. "Go and be a prince" you told him, giving him a quick kiss.

     "Be safe" he told you before he began walking away. You smile and nodded, you had never fought trolls before but you were confident that you could handle it. 

     "Always am!" You shouted back before turning around to find his mother; hoping you were going in the right direction. The palace was a maze, but you could sense her magic, it was faint, but it was there. 

     "Titan!" Loki called out. You turned around to see Loki smiling like an idiot. Before disappearing into the fight, he screamed out three words that you never thought you would hear again. 

     "I love you!"


	30. Chapter 30

     You ran through the castle, avoiding the noble men and women who were now panicking as they tried to get to safety. So far there was no sign of Frigga and you cursed. She had to be somewhere. You looked around, trying to get your bearings. You had to think about what you knew, where would Loki’s mother go? She was a fierce warrior, a good queen and a healer. 

     Healer, that was it! She would have gone to the healing wing, to make sure everyone there could get out. You smiled and took off, remembering which direction Loki said it would be. You turned, avoiding the people as a troll knocked down a large column. 

     “I’m in a hurry!” You yelled out as your dagger collided with the large troll’s hand. He screamed and pulled back. The troll angerly screamed at you as you jumped and pushed yourself off the wall towards the troll’s head. Your dagger lengthened, turning into a large sword. The tip of the blade broke through the troll’s skull, the rest of it sliding in easily. The troll fell as you jumped off, landing on your feet. 

     Your dagger disappeared as you pushed your hair back, finding your way to the healing wing once more. People were getting scarcer, you assumed that most of them found hiding spots or had left the castle by now. You strolled along, hoping you were going the right way. Your fears were quelled when you finally noticed the healing wings. 

     Beds were overturned and a few bodies lay on the floor. You squat down next to the first one, checking for a pulse. You sighed in relief, it looked like they were all simply knocked out. You grabbed the first person and flipped over a bed, placing her on her back gently. After doing this for the next three people you found, you looked around for Frigga. 

     "Is anyone else here?" You asked out loud, hoping to get a response. Nothing came however, you weren't surprised, if there was anyone left here then surely, they would be hiding. You sighed, this meant she was somewhere else in the castle, possibly hurt. You couldn't let Loki down, you had to find her. 

     You were just about to leave the room when you heard a tiny sneeze, and you paused. You turned towards the direction of the sneeze, it simply seemed like a bricked-up wall. Walking over to it, you could sense magic, something you had missed when first walking in. You cursed yourself, in too much of a rush to notice the obvious. You put your hands on the wall, concentrating on bringing down the magic, it fell easily. 

     When it fell, you were standing in front of a cluster of small, frightened children and a few adults who were trying to hold them together. They looked up at you, the children were curious but the adults looked frightened of you. It was fair, they probably didn't know who you were. 

     "I'm looking for Queen Frigga, Prince Loki sent me" you told them. One of the women stuttered out her reply, as best she could. 

     "The Queen told us to stay here, she was going to find others and get them to safety" she told you and you rolled your eyes. 

     "Of course she was" you muttered. There was a large rumble, causing you to hand on to the wall to keep from falling. "It's not safe here anymore, is there anywhere that you can hide in another part of the castle?" You weren't familiar with the layout yet, but most castles had a safe room for the people in times of war. 

     "Yes, in the Throne room" another one told you. You nodded, ushering all of them to their feet. 

     "Can you bring the stretchers as well?" You asked one of the woman, she nodded her head and began giving directions. You managed to get the kids in line, making sure they knew that they had to be quiet. Once everyone was ready, you told them to follow you throughout the castle, hoping you wouldn't run into any trouble. So far, this was not going to plan. 

     The castle was quiet with the exception of a few loud rumbled and every so often you were could heard Thor's unmistakable roar of thunder. You could see the throne room, it looked empty. 

     "Unhand me, Odin will have your head for this treason" you heard Firgga's voice and stopped in your tracks. 

     "Get the children to safety, yell if you need my help" you whispered to the healer next to you. She reluctantly agreed and began ushering the confused children away from you and into the throne room. Your daggers appeared in your hands as you walked towards the voices. 

     "Nice of you to join us, Asteria" Hermes welcomed you. He held Frigga to him with his left hand, leaving his right free, with no weapon. 

     "Let her go" you ordered, hand tightening over your dagger. You could see the worry in the Queens eye, but not for herself, she was worried for you. If the situation had been different, you would have been touched, but there was no time sentiment at the moment. Hermes laughed, his helmet falling to the ground as he did. 

     "Oh no Asteria, I can't do that" he started. "You see, I know that I am no match for you in a fight. However, I also know that you would not let anything happen to the Queen here, it might upset your previous Prince" he concluded. 

     "Fine then, take me and let her go" you told him. His victory smile diminished and he starred at you. Your daggers vanished and you held up your hands in surrender. 

     "My dear, don't do this" Frigga had taken the confusion as her opportunity to plead with you, leaning forward as if that would let her get to you. "Loki needs you" Frigga tried.

     "He needs you more my Queen" you told her firmly. "What are you waiting for Hermes, I said I would go with you" you snapped at the messenger god. 

     "Right" Hermes seemed to snap out of it, letting Frigga go as he marched over to you. He was just about to grab you when part of the ceiling caved in. A troll burst through, his arm coming between you and Hermes. It gave you enough time to send a burst of energy towards Frigga, encasing her in a protective bubble as you grabbed your daggers. 

     The troll's hand came up and before you realized it, you had been thrown against a wall. The bricks sunk beneath you as you groaned. You got up in enough time to see the same thing happen to Hermes. The trolls face was in view now so you took your shot and threw your daggers, both of them landing in the troll's right eye and sending him tumbling back. 

     You could see Frigga trying to get out of your magic bubble, but there was one more thing you had to deal with before that. You walked over to where Hermes lay, not unconscious, simply broken. You leaned down beside him. 

     "Are you going to kill me now?" He asked, his voice hoarse and mouth bloody. This should have brought you joy, you thought, one more down. It didn't however, you were simply angry. 

     "No, I am not going to kill you Hermes. I want you to give a message to Zeus for me" you started, watching his face contort in confusion and anger. "Tell him that if he doesn't stop this now, I will bring fire and blood to Olympus, ending only when I have stomped out his life like the insect he is". 


	31. Chapter 31

     “Are you alright, my Queen?” You asked Frigga once you removed your magic. You were coated in blood, but none of it your own. It was by far the easiest battle you had been in recently, so for that, you were thankful. 

     “Please, call me Frigga; and yes, I am fine” she smiled at you and you smiled back. Now that she was with you, and safe, you could relax a little more. “That plan of yours was mighty foolish, how did you know that a troll was going to come through the wall?” Frigga asked. You sheepishly played with your hair. 

     “I didn’t” you told her. You could sense a scolding coming on. It had been so long that you almost weren’t sure what to expect. Even though you were positive that she was no older than you, she made you feel like a small child again.

     “Never do that again, Loki would be furious if he knew” Frigga condemned. You had expected worse, to be honest. 

     “I can handle Loki” you told her. You should have apologized for your reckless plan, however your mouth seemed to have a mind of its own. Luckily, Frigga laughed. 

     “Yes, I think you are more than a match for my son” she complimented. The sounds of the battle were fading, and you could hear celebration. “It’s sounds as though the battle has been won” she told you. It indeed sounded that way, by the cheers and yells of the Asgardians. 

     “Should we get the people out of hiding?” You asked. You wanted to find Loki but knew that he would also have responsibilities to deal with before he could see you. Frigga smiled and nodded, the both of you heading out of the room. 

     You began searching, room by room, for any survivors or those injured by the attacks. So far, the damage to the building seemed worse than the damage to the people. You did what you could by healing those who were hurt, impressing Frigga with your magic as you went. 

     The hideaway in the throne room where you had sent the children housed a lot more people. Some were hurt, but most seemed to have escaped unscathed. Frigga was reassuring the people, so you moved along, finding servants who hid wherever they could. Most of them seemed more hurt than the rest, so you worked on healing them. 

     “You’re doing a great job” Frigga surprised you. You jumped, almost drawing your daggers but you stopped yourself in time. She stood at the doorway, you weren’t sure how long she had been there as you healed the people. The servants bowed and quickly took off once they were healed. 

     “Thank you” you replied. Frigga moved into the room and you looked around at the palace, it was in shambles. "I'm thinking of trying something" you told Frigga. She looked at you in confusion, but you didn't elaborate. You held out your hands, silver smoke began pouring out, making its way around the castle. 

     The palace began to repair itself. Columns that had fallen were being erected once more. Dents in the floor were being fixed as well as holes in the walls. Your magic spread through the palace, room by room, fixing anything that had been broken by the attack. 

     "This is too much magic, you're going to exhaust yourself" Frigga warned, but the smile on her face didn't disappear.  You smiled back at her. 

     "This is Loki's home, it's the least I could do" you told her. Your thoughts drifted to him as your magic worked. You thought of the last words he said to you, and how you felt. Did you love him? It had been so long since you were in love, was this how it was supposed to feel? You longed to see him and hoped that he was alright. 

     Your thoughts were interrupted when the magic stopped and you fell to your knee, breathing heavily. Frigga was by your side in an instant, a gentle hand on your shoulder. 

     "Are you alright?" She asked and you nodded, picking yourself up off the ground. You could manage until you saw that Loki was alright, then you would rest. 

     "We should check on the princes" you told her. She stayed close as you walked, ready to catch you in a moment's notice. You smiled, always the healer, you thought. The walk back was eventful, to say the least. Celebrations were breaking out around the palace and amazement at the magic that healed the palace. 

     The people bowed to Frigga was she went, and you tried to make yourself seem far smaller than possible. You hadn't had this many eyes on you in a long while, it was uncomfortable. It didn't help that people stopped thanked you for saving them, especially when you didn't do very much. Frigga could see that you were uncomfortable and ushered you along, apologizing to the people for stealing you away. 

     When you got to the main doors, you stopped. Loki, Thor and Odin with the guards were coming back. Loki looked terrible, blood had splattered all over him, but he didn't seem to be injured. Thor on the other hand, looked like he had seen better days. 

     Loki didn't notice to right away, locked in a heated argument with Odin. You suspected that it was about yourself. Thor did notice you though and made a beeline for you. He wrapped you up in his good arm and hugged you. 

     "I am glad you are alright, Asteria" he whispered. You smiled and hugged him back, for once not threatening to stab him; it looked like he wouldn't be able to handle the injury anyway. He put you down and you looked him over. 

     "Well you didn't get yourself killed oaf, good job" you smirked. Your hand rested on his shoulder, and your magic encased him. 

     "Save your strength, Asteria" Frigga told you but it fell on deaf ears. Soon, Thor was good as new, other than the hangover he would inevitable have tomorrow. 

     "Thank you, little sister" Thor smirked and you blushed. He moved aside and you saw Loki, he finally seemed to notice you. He ran up to you and lifted you off your feet in a hug. He smelt of death and blood, a sort of metallic smell, but you were just happy he was alive. 

     "Are you alright, prince?" You asked. He set you down and you looked him over, there were still no cuts that you could see, and bruises wouldn't be visible yet. 

     "Are you?" He asked, looking you over. Anywhere there was a splatter of blood, he checked to see if there was a wound. 

     "Yes, it's not my blood" you told him with a smirk. He smiled and cupped your face, bringing it in for a kiss. You were lost in the kiss and bit your lip when you pulled away, looking up at him through your lashes. "I love you too" you told him. He broke out into a toothy grin, one you had never seen before and kissed you once more. 

     Someone clearing their throat broke you apart. You looked to see Odin glaring at the two of you and suddenly you felt protective. You moved to get in front of Loki but he beat you too it. You rolled your eyes, but let him, this was his family after all. 

    "I thought I made my thoughts about this clear" he seethed. Loki was about to argue with him, once more, but his mother beat him to it. 

     "Now you listen here, husband. My son is happy and I will be damned if I let you take the only thing that has brought him such pure happiness away. You will apologize to her and grant her permission to stay on Asgard as long as she wishes" Frigga scolding, all the while a finger jabbing into Odin's chest. 

     You, Thor and Loki backed up a little simultaneously. You didn't think Frigga had it in her to be angry, especially with the Allfather. It made sense though and you could empathize, a mother would do anything to protect her child; anything. 

     "Your mother is kind of scary" you whispered. Loki smiled and wrapped a arm around your waist. 

     "Scarier than me?" 

     "Definitely" both you and Thor answered. Loki scowled at his brother but then laughed, accepting both of your answers. 

      "That woman saved my life, saved people in the palace and healed them when the battle was done! For Norns sake, she even fixed the palace!" Frigga was still scolding. She paused for a moment though and with a smile turned back around to the three of you. "Speaking of which, Loki your lady needs some rest. Please escort her inside and ensures that she gets some", the sheer change in her voice when speaking to her sons through you off, and you willingly went with Loki without a fight. 

     You could hear the arguing until you reached the palace doors. Thor took off towards his room, mumbling something about needing rest as well. Loki led you to what you presumed would be a guest room. He avoided the celebrations and as many people as possible so it was a quick walk. 

     He stopped in front of a golden door and opened it. The room was huge, a large green clad bed in the middle. You looked around and recognized the décor. 

     "This is your room?" You asked and Loki nodded. He used his magic to change himself, leaving him in only undergarments. He did the same for you, leaving you in a lovely, green, silk night dress. 

     "You didn't think I was going to let you stay anywhere else, did you?" Loki laughed and you rolled your eyes. He had a point, he rarely let you out of his sights, even in the tower. 

     "Worrisome Prince" you laughed. 

     "Stubborn Titan" he countered. He grabbed on to your shoulders and walked you over to the bed. "You need to rest darling, you used far too much magic today" he told you, gently pushing you onto the bed. You were too tired to fight him on it. 

     "Blame the trolls" you told him sleepily. 

     "What about Hermes? Is he no longer a threat?" Loki asked, settling into bed with you. He pulled the covers over to, covering your body up to your neck. 

     "I didn't kill him, if that’s what you're asking" you started. "I sent him back to Olympus with a warning for Zeus, a warning I feel he will probably ignore". 

     "At least you tried, and we will be more than ready for him when he attacks, I promise" Loki face hardened for a moment at the thought of Zeus, but soon relaxed, it did no good to worry about him now. "Thank you for finding and protecting my mother during the fight, it means a lot to me" Loki confessed. 

     "It was my pleasure, although I am pretty sure she could have taken care of herself" you laughed and Loki chuckled as well. 

     "You're probably right, but I am allowed to worry about her" he defended himself. You rested your head on his chest, closing your eyes. 

     "Yes, you are" you told him. You settled in the bed, getting comfortable and ready to rest. It was strange not being in the tower, but being with Loki helped you to relax. "I love you Loki" you told him again. You felt him kiss the top of your head. 

     "I love you too darling"


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late, I know I usually post quicker; just having been feeling up to writing lately. I am trying though so I hope you all enjoy!

     "Can't we stay in bed some more?" You complained, cuddling up to Loki's naked form. He laughed and held you tightly. The blankets were wrapped tightly around your body, making a cocoon around the two of you. 

     "We have been in bed all day darling, I think people will begin to worry about us" Loki told you. "Or at the very least, begin spreading some very entertaining rumors about us", he laughed. You pouted. 

     "But I saved the castle, I think they can leave us alone for one day" you told him. He smiled and kissed you, effectively removing your pouting lips. 

     "How can I say no to you?" He asked before kissing you again. You smiled into the kiss, victory was yours. Or at least you had thought it was, before Thor barged in with his right hand over his eyes. His left was placed out in front of him, feeling around for anything that may be in his way. 

     "What are you doing Thor?" You asked. He immediately turned in the direction of your voice and smiled. Loki sighed, kissing your forehead while watching his brother stumble around the room. 

     "Is it safe to look?" He asked. Before answering, Loki secured the blanket around your body, making sure nothing was visible. You rolled your eyes over his fretting but said nothing. 

     "Yes, you can look now" Loki told him. Thor slowly peaked over his hand, as if confirming that Loki was telling the truth. Once satisfied, the smile came back and his hand dropped. "What are you doing here?" Loki asked, exacerbated by his brother. 

     "Mother wants me to drag you two out of this room so you can attend the feast she has been planning all day. She says you both need to eat" Thor relayed the message. 

     "But I don't want to leave this room, it's comfy and we hadn't had to deal with Odin all day" you complained. 

     "Please, I do not want to have to go back to Mother and tell her I failed. She swore she would make sure Father behaved" Thor begged. Loki looked from Thor to you. 

     "I suppose we shouldn't disappoint Mother" Loki grumbled. He didn't want to see Odin any more than you did, that was obvious. 

     "Fine" you grumbled. "How long do we have to get ready?" You asked. You at least wanted to take a nap before having to deal with the royal family. 

     "Well, it starts now, so" Thor trailed off as both you and Loki glared at him. "What? I couldn't tell you too soon and risk you both running away. Hurry up!" Thor said as he put his hands over his eyes again. You rolled your eyes but let the blanket fall off your form as you got off the bed. You sent to use your magic, but Loki was one step ahead of you. He dressed you in an elegant, sheer green dress that attached at your neck. You smiled at him as he dressed himself in near the same color. 

     "We are dressed, brother" Loki told Thor as he held a hand out to you. You took it and was quickly pulled into Loki's body, his lips crashing to yours. 

     "Alright, we get it, you love each other. Let's go" Thor pushed you both out of the room. You reluctantly agreed, not wanting to get into a fight with Thor in the palace. It would simple give Odin another reason to hate you. 

     The three of your walked quietly through the palace. Loki only reaching over to grab your hand, a wordless way to tell you that it was going to be alright. Part of you still believed that Odin was going to hand you over to Zeus, it made your nervous. You were hiding it well though, or at least you hoped so. Loki knew your worries well enough, he had the same worries. You weren't prepared for an all-out fight with Zeus yet, but you would be soon. 

     "Alright, neither of you stab anyone" Thor whispered and you realized you had come to a closed door. Thor didn't wait for a response, he opened the door and ushered you both in. It was a large feast with drinking and loud cheering. Frigga and Odin sat together at the head table. At least it wasn't only the five of you, this would be easier than you thought. Loki sat next to his mother, but not before pulling out another chair so you could sit beside him. 

     You were surprised when Thor didn't take the seat next to Odin. Instead, he sat across from you, giving you a wide smile. Maybe you were too hard on the oaf, he obviously cared about both you and Loki. You gave him a quick smile and felt Loki's hand rest on your thigh. 

     "How are you feeling, Asteria?" Frigga asked, a goblet of wine in hand. You grabbed yours to, taking a quick drink to calm your nerves. 

     "Good, I heal quickly and the rest helped replenish my magic" you smiled at her. Odin glared at you and Loki but Frigga cleared her throat and he looked down at his food. 

     "That's good to hear dear, we are all very impressed with magical abilities. It must have taken years to hone such power" she complimented. 

     "Yes, it took quite some time, but I was determined" you offered with a smile. Frigga laughed as she set her glass down. She dabbed her lips with a cloth as she smiled. 

     "Yes, Loki was much the same. Wanted to learn everything at once and master it quicker than the rest" Frigga told you. You smiled, that did seem like Loki. Conversations easily took off from there however Odin refused to participate. Instead he stared at his food while eating, looked out to the feast or drank. Once and awhile, he would try to give you a menacing glare, but Frigga stopped him. Something told you that you wouldn't be welcomed back on Asgard. 

     For now, though, you enjoyed the scene. You had spent so much time on Earth and so much time with humans that you almost forgot what these feasts could be like. Magic wielders had their shows, bards sang in the background and the warriors got drunk. The conversation with Frigga and Thor distracted them long enough for Loki to lean over. 

     "How are you feeling?" He whispered so the others wouldn't hear him. You had been fine while in bed all day, and he had shown no signs of worrying then. Or, maybe he had just been too busy to worry. 

     "Stop fretting Prince, I am fine" you told him with a smile, your hand cupping his cheek. He smiled and nodded before giving you a quick kiss. If Odin glare could kill, you were sure the two of you would be dead right now. 

     "So what's your plan exactly? You are courting a married woman, you have to know that won't end well" Odin finally managed to speak up. You knew it wouldn't be long now, there was no way Frigga was going to be able to control him forever. Frigga reprimanded him instantly. 

     "I don't plan to stay married" you told him as Loki pulled you closer to him. You saw Thor smile at that little protective instinct in his brother, even though they were both well aware you could take care of yourself. 

     "She has no interest in being with that terrible..." Loki paused for a moment, as if trying to find the right words to describe Perses. "Thing" he decided on. "If he wants her, then he will have to go through me" Loki was determined. 

     "So you intend to drag Asgard into a war with Olympus over a woman" Odin was angry now, but the cheers from the feast was drowning out the conversation to other's ears. 

     "She is not just a woman, she is a Titan" Loki spat and you put your hand on Loki's attempting to calm him down. His skin had been turning a slight hint of blue, and although the people knew of his heritage, you knew that he wouldn't want to turn complete Frost Giant here and now. Thor cast a thankful smile your way as his skin turned back to pale colors. 

     "Asgard will not be thrown into a war. Zeus only came to you because he knows we are helping her but his war is with her and the Avengers" Thor added. He had no plans to take Asgard into a war, but that didn't seem to be a threat. Zeus sent a messenger, not an army to Asgard, he must have known it was a futile fight; especially while they resided on Earth. 

     "You agree with this nonsense still?" Odin asked Thor. Loki looked to his brother, they had both bonded since Loki's banishment to Earth, as much as Loki would deny it. 

     "She makes Loki happy, and she is like a sister to me. I will not lose either of them because of your arrogance", everyone's eyes widened. You had never heard Thor speak in such a way, especially to his father. You saw from the corner of your eye, a snicker on Frigga's feature. Thor turned to the both of you. "We should pack and get home" Thor told you before getting up and leaving. 

      "We will come say goodbye before leaving Mother" Loki reassured before leading you out of the room. The cheers did not even die down while you left, they barely seemed to notice the tension as both Princes left. 

***

     "Thor told us to pack, what are we doing out here?" You asked. Instead of taking you back to his room, he had led you outside and past the gardens. 

     "Oh please, like we ever listen to Thor" Loki scoffed and you rolled your eyes. Normally, you would agree, but Odin had not been looking at the three of you in a friendly manner when you left. You wanted to get off of Asgard before something was done that they would both regret. "Plus, we have magic, we can be ready in a flash" Loki trying to quell your worries. 

     "Fine, but at least tell me where we're going" you tried. 

     "We're almost there" Loki said before ducking under a bush. You watched as he crawled through, wondering if he expected you to do the same. "Come on", apparently, he did. 

     "I did not wear an appropriate outfit for this" you grumbled, but instead of changing, you simply followed him. The bush was overgrown and you received a few cuts from some particularly sharp branches. Your knees became wet from the ground as well as your hands. 

     Once on the other side, you saw a bright light. It looked like a doorway with a portal in it. The wood around the portal was white and intricately carved. Around you, the bush was thick and it encased the portal, blocking anyone from seeing in from the outside. Even the top was closed in, causing it to look like a large dome from the inside. 

     "Where does it lead?' You asked Loki. He smiled at you before grabbing your hand. 

     "I found this place when I was younger and more curious about my surroundings. I would often wander around the castle, and when that got boring, I wondered around outside. I found this one day but did not know what it was. I was still a cautious child so I left and didn't speak a word of it to anyone" he paused. You listened intently, wondering when he would get to your questions. 

     "I found myself unable to forget it. So, as I grew up, I did some research. I spent most of my time in the Library anyway, so no one really found it suspicious. In an old history book at the back of the Library, lost and forgotten is where I found information about this portal" he paused, looking away from the portal to you. "It goes to Olympus". 

     You looked back at the portal, surprised and a little worried. You knew Zeus couldn't sense your magic this far, but it wasn't your rational brain that was panicking. 

     "Are you sure?" You asked. You still weren't sure why he was showing you this, you had no plans to return to Olympus unless you were ready to take on Zeus. Until then, you would remain on Earth. 

     "Quite sure, I never actually tested it" Loki admitted and you laughed, of course he hadn't. But it seemed that he was unable to keep it from you anyway. "But, I thought it could come in handy" he told you. You smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss. 

     "We'll definitely keep it in mind". 


	33. Chapter 33

     You were in Loki's room as he packed a few books he wanted to take back to Earth with him. He wasn't sure when he would be getting back to Asgard, which was his reason for packing an entire library. You watched him as he went, added a few books that peaked your own interest. 

     "I thought you were just complaining about my bringing too many books" Loki smirked as you added another one to his pile. 

     "If you can't beat them, join them" you shrugged. Loki laughed at you and went back to packing before a knock on his door brought you both out of the world of books. You regarded the door with uncertainty, a dagger flashing in your hands. You stayed by the door as Loki answered it, ready to pounce if the need should arise. 

     You were met with Frigga's smiling face and you got rid of the dagger instantly, pushing both your hands behind your back. 

     "Mother, what I surprise" Loki said, moving out of the way to let his mother come in. "We were going to go see you before we left for Midgard". You could tell Loki was happy to see her and you wondered how he felt having to go back to Earth so quickly because of you. You shook the thought from your head, you would worry about that later. 

     "I know, but I wanted to ensure that I spoke with both you before you left" she told him, gathering him in a hug. "I am so proud of you, my son" she whispered in his ear although you heard him and saw the slightly pink tint to his cheeks. "And you" she turned around to face you. Your eyes widened and Loki chuckled as he seen your panicked expression. 

     "I don’t know the whole situation, but I know enough to tell that you are fleeing a very terrible situation" she grabbed your hand and squeezed. "Never give up and be safe out there", she turned to Loki and grabbed his hand as well. "Protect each other, don't forget who your friends are and if should need it, you always have my help as well" she told you. 

     "Thank you, your majesty" you said, bowing your head. She let go of Loki and pulled you into a hug. 

     "Please, call me Frigga. You are family now", she chanced a brief look over at Loki before smirking. "When Loki finds something or someone he loves, he does not let them go very easily, I'm afraid you're stuck with him now", you both laughed as Loki rolled his eyes but smiled. 

     "Loki, Asteria, we must be off!" Thor yelled out, coming into your room with his eyes shut once more. You huffed and crossed your arms. 

     "You can open your eyes Thor" you told him, and you hoped Loki's mother wouldn't ask what that was about. He opened them and smiled. 

     "Oh, hello Mother. I'm sorry we couldn't stay longer, but I think its best if we head back to Midgard soon" Thor told her and Frigga nodded. 

     "Yes, you must be on your way. I hope you see you three soon, be safe" she told you all before leaving. Thor looked around at all the books lying around the room, clothes were scattered and Loki had thrown things every which way as he had looked for certain books. 

     "Did a hurricane go through this room?" Thor asked and you laughed. 

     "No, what you are witnessing if Loki's packing skills" you smirked as Loki through some clothes at you. You then threw the clothes at Thor. "Come on, if you help it will go a lot faster". 

***

     You landed on the grass outside of Stark Tower. It felt good to be back on Earth, only because you worried that attack would happen while you were gone. Also, it was nice to get away from Odin. Loki grabbed you hand and the three of you walked back to the tower, meeting everyone in the living room after Friday informed them you were back. 

     "Did things not go well? Did (Y/N) stab someone?" Natasha asked, a worried expression on her face. You laughed and set a bag full of books down. 

     "Well, we got to Asgard, I met his mother, then met Thor's idiot friends. After that we found out Hermes was sent to Zeus as a messenger, probably to try and get his sons to hand me other. Then trolls attacked the castle, we defeated them, then I fixed the castle, slept for a while, had a feast in which Odin was a rude asshole" you summarized. They all stared at you while Loki and Thor chuckled to themselves. 

     "So, to answer you inevitable follow up questions, yes, she stabbed someone, no it wasn't anyone important, just a troll. Also, Hermes was taken care of, he went back to Zeus with a threat from my lovely Titan" Loki smiled. 

     "Seems like you had a busy couple of days. So, the new potential father-in-law didn't like you so much?" Bucky asked, taking a seat next to you and Loki. You laughed and shook your head. 

     "That's putting it mildly" you answered. Steve gave you a pat on the shoulder with a reassuring smile. "So, how are things here? We didn't get a call so I am I correct to assume there were no attacks?" You looked around at them. 

     "Everything has been quiet actually, it's a little nerve racking" Clint answered and you laughed. Quiet did have that effect when you were so use to shit hitting the fan constantly. 

     "Quiet is good! We can relax!" Thor's voice boomed. The thought of relaxing was nice, but Clint was right, you were already nervous about it being quiet. Was Zeus planning something?

     "Well relaxing is good, but I would like to keep up with training, we can never be too careful" Steve spoke up and you were thankful. You needed to be ready at all times. Everyone nodded their heads, not very enthusiastically but they all understood the need to be ready as well. 

     "Alright, well I am ordering Chinese food for supper, someone pick a movie!" Tony announced and Clint dove for the DVD rack. 

     "No, we are not watching another one of your movies!" You yelled at him, despite the others laughing, they all agreed with you. "Let someone else pick!" You added. 

     "Fine, someone else pick" Clint pouted. Eventually Wanda picked the Wizard of Oz so you all settled in. Tony went and got the Chinese food when it was delivered. You sat by Loki the entire time, explaining the different foods to him and what you thought he would like. You placed your legs over his, getting yourself comfortable as you cuddled up to him. 

     "I love you", although he whispered, the others still heard and Tony spit out his drink. 

     "Did he just-?" Tony asked and paused the movie. Everyone starred at you two and you remember that he only said the words for the first time a couple of days ago. 

     "Yes Stark, I love her" Loki sighed dramatically as Tony cursed. 

     "You couldn't have waited another week to tell her that! I almost won!" Tony complained. You looked over at the others. 

     "You were betting on us?" You scolded. The others suddenly got very interesting in their surroundings and made sure to look anywhere but at you and Loki. Steve shook his head in disapproval. "Who won?"

     "That's be me!" Bucky announced. "I figured he would say it shortly after you met his parents, although I had hoped it would go better for you" Bucky admitted as the other Avengers handed over their money. You shook your head and looked to Loki. 

     "I love you too". 


	34. Chapter 34

     “Come on Titan, stop holding back. The Winter Soldier can take it” Loki yelled at you. Your body hit the ground roughly as Bucky's metal arm slammed into your stomach. You groaned and narrowed your eyes at Loki. Training the super soldiers had been his idea, since they are the closest match to the Gods in strength. 

     “Shut up Trickster” you grumbled and he chuckled, sitting down next to Steve who was still healing from his training earlier. You pushed yourself off the ground and lunged at Bucky, knocking him to the ground. He huffed as he hit the ground and you laughed. 

     “You have to be ready for anything Bucky. Remember, the Gods won’t play fair so neither should you” you told him. Loki walked over as you helped Bucky to his feet. Once Bucky was up, Loki pulled you into him for a kiss. 

     “I think that’s enough training for today, darling” Loki laughed. You pouted, you had been having fun. 

     “I’m not tired, lets keep going!” You had been training all morning but going easy on the two super soldiers hadn’t tuckered you out yet.

     “Oh please no” Bucky huffed out. You laughed as Loki hauled you over his shoulder, despite your protests.

     “Come on Titan, play time is over; the super soldiers need their rest” Loki told you. When he sat you back down, you were in the kitchen. Clint was cooking lunch, Natasha was reading over some reports from a manila folder and Tony was tinkering with a part of his suit.

     “Just in time you two, lunch is almost ready” Clint told you. He went back to cooking as Loki sat down next to you and waited. 

     "How is the training going" Natasha asked, barely looking up from her file. You shrugged your shoulders. 

     "They aren't dead yet, so good I think" you answer. She smiled and nodded. "So what is everyone up to today?" You asked, looking around at the others. 

     "Well we have to get ready for that press conference this evening, if you miss it, Cap will be very upset" Tony told you and you sighed. 

     "Damn, I was hoping everyone would forget about that" you mumbled. Loki reached over and began rubbing circles on your back, a reassuring gesture. Tony snickered. 

     "Yes, because it would be so like Cap to forget obligations. Plus, you agreed to part of them team, these are some of the lovely perks, press conferences and autographs" Tony smirked as he rushed away before you could stab him. 

     "Nice to see you and Tony getting along" Clint laughed, setting two bowls of soup in front of you. Your stomach growled, you hadn't realized how hungry you actually were. You let Clint's comment go since he was feeding you after all. You began to eat, hoping to distract yourself from the upcoming press conference that would announce you and Loki as members of the Avengers. 

     "Try not to fret much darling, Zeus and the others already know where to find you so I am sure this will not make much of a difference" Loki tried to reassure you. 

     "You're right, hiding is just a hard habit to break I suppose" you sighed. "Come on Loki, we should get ready" you told him and he nodded. 

     "Oh no you don't, you two aren't getting ready together" Natasha put down the file and hurried to her feet. She stood next to you quickly, grabbing your arm and pulling you away from Loki's grasp. "You two spend enough time together. Loki will get ready with the boys and you will get ready with Wanda and I" she said firmly even as you glared at her. 

     "Still don't trust us, Widow?" Loki smirked, wanting to laugh as the obvious uncomfortable situation for you. 

     "I trust you both, however you are part of the team now and you both need to start being more sociable" she said, and somehow you did not think this was her plan. 

     "This has Steve written all over it" you grumbled as she hauled you away from Loki. You silently followed, trying to remember to scold Steve for this later. She brought you to what you assumed was her room and shut the door quickly. Wanda was already sitting on the bed. 

     "I was wondering what was taking so long" she commented. You stood off to the side, arms crossed over your chest as you leaned against the wall. 

     "Sorry, I lost track of time" Natasha mumbled while she was getting a few things out. You watched them both go around the room comfortably, even though this wasn't Wanda's room. You stayed to the side, not really wanting to be there at all, you had magic after all, it didn't take you long to get ready. 

     "So how are you and Loki making out?" Wanda asked as she plugged a few things in. They set to work on doing their hair, and you watched. 

     "Fine" you responded, unsure of what else to say. They both seemed to pause at that, had they been expecting a different answer? 

     "So you're both getting along then?" Natasha tried. You nodded your head in agreement, you hadn't had any recent fights with him that you could remember. Natasha sighed. "You haven't had very many friends recently, have you?"

     "No, hiding from an angry God doesn't really give you time for socializing" you snapped at her. They didn't seem too put off by this and just continued to fix their hair before moving on to light make up. 

     "We didn't mean to upset you, we just want to get to know you, that's all" Wanda explained. You softened your glare, feeling bad for snapping at them now. 

     "Sorry, I think we all know I'm not the most emotional healthy person here" you sighed, rubbing the bridge of your nose. A headache wanted to build, but you forced your magic to get rid of it, you didn't have time for that. 

     "It's alright, we can't pretend to understand what you've been through but we all have our reasons for being here and almost none of them are good" Wanda told you. "We can help, we're teammates after all" she smiled. You wanted to thank her but instead you simply gave her a tight smile. 

     "I picked this out for you Wanda" Natasha told her, saving you from an uncomfortable conversation. Natasha threw a red dress at her and she smiled, pulling off the clothes she had on to get changed. Natasha changed into a tight black dress before looking you over, you hadn't moved from the wall the entire time. "Aren't you going to get ready?" She asked. 

     "Oh right" you mumbled. You let silver smoke engulf you for a brief moment. You changed into a white dress that slowly faded into silver, A gold chain clasped around your neck that made it's way up into your hair. You smiled at their stunned expressions. "Is this okay? Steve said he wanted me to dress as I would back at home" you asked them. 

     "You look amazing" Natasha breathed out. You smiled, trying to stop a slight blush from rising to your cheeks, it had been awhile since you got any compliment that didn't originate from Loki. 

     "Alright, let's meet the boys" Wanda said excitedly, taking your arm and dragging you out of the room. You made your way through the tower and into the shared living room where you would be meeting the rest of the team before the press conference. 

     "I don't get why I have to wear this stupid thing, why can't I just wear my armor like Thor?" Loki complained. You watched as he pulled the tied from his neck, like he was trying to breath.

     "Because you already used your armor to try and take over the planet, we need people to not be afraid of you" Steven explained and you watched Loki roll his eyes. 

     "Well I think you look handsome, Prince" you gathered the attention of everyone who seemed stunned by your presence; or maybe it was your attire that was throwing them off? Loki smiled and crossed the room to you. 

     "Not as lovely as you look darling" he said before kissing you. 

     "I got to admit it, you clean up nicely" Tony quipped and Loki turned his head to glare at him. 

     "Alright, we don't have time for a fight, let's go!" Steve ordered. Everyone gave a slight chuckle but listened. You stayed by Loki's side as you walked to the entrance of Stark Tower. Just from the doors you could see lights flashing and people congregating at the doors. You felt Loki's lips next to your ear as he bent down. 

     "I'm right here with you" he said, just his voice worked wonders to calm you down. Besides, he had been right, Zeus already knew where you were and you had no plans of running, so what was there to be nervous about. You took your spot next to Steve when you walked out, Loki standing on the other side of him, hands clasped behind his back. 

     You couldn't really register what Steve had been saying. You knew he was introducing you and Loki to the team and trying to answer as many questions as he could. He was also trying not to give away too much information about you, probably to keep you calm. Instead of listening, you watched the crowd. They backed away from Loki, still not trusting the fact that he wasn't going to slaughter them all, you assumed. 

     You took a deep breath, getting rather annoyed with the whole situation when Steve seemed to wrap things up. He backed away from the podium, smile with you and Loki as some pictures were taken and then turned to you both as the other Avengers gathered around. 

     "You both did great" Steve complimented. 

     "We didn't do anything" you responded in truth. 

     "True, but neither of you snapped and killed anyone so I'm giving you credit for that. I know this couldn't have been easier for either of you but now for the hard part" he sighed and you narrowed your eyes at him. 

     "What are you talking about, I thought this was all we had to do?" You asked. You could see Loki's gaze darken as well. 

     "Well, we didn't know how to tell you" Steve stuttered and Tony rolled his eyes. 

     "It's customary, after a press conference, that we have a party where paparazzi and journalist come in to take pictures and ask us questions" Tony grumbled before opening the doors to Stark Tower. You glared at Steve as people and the other Avengers began filing into the tower. You could feel Bucky squeeze himself between you and Loki, putting an arm on each of you. It did nothing to calm you down. 

     "I am going to kill you Rogers"


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a little hungover, so I hope this makes sense. :P

     You tried to get away from reporters as much as you could, however they all seemed to keep cornering you. Finally, you managed to get Loki's gaze, he was speaking with very frightened reports and didn't look like he would have a hard time getting away at all. 

     He smirked at you but made no move to come rescue you. It seems he was either enjoying your discomfort or he was enjoying the look of fright on the mortals; you weren't sure which though. You sighed as you listened to another reporter ask where you were from and what your powers were, and for what felt like the millionth time, you told them you were a Titan from Olympus. 

     They asked more questions while others shoved cameras in your face. You were getting angry now and Loki could see that. He finally moved away from his own reporters and grabbed your hand, spinning you away from your own mob. 

     "Would you like to dance, Titan?" He asked, not really giving you a choice as he spun you onto the dance floor. 

     "Anything is better than listening to the mortal prattle on about nonsense" you complained as you moved to the soft beat. Natasha and Bruce were dancing as well you noticed, as for the Avengers, you assumed they were mingling with the crowd. 

     "I believe you are correct there" Loki agrees. He brings his hand up and gently caresses your cheek with his thumb. You lean into the touch. "You do look beautiful tonight, love" he compliments and you smile. 

     "You look quite handsome yourself, Trickster", he laughs and spins you around. He pulls you close to his chest and leans in to whisper into your ear. "I think the part is breaking up" he tells you. You look around and notice people beginning to leave and you let out a breath of relief. 

     Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Steve wishing people a goodnight as the ballroom emptied and you glared. As the last one left, you moved from Loki with a pointed finger at Steve. 

     "I'm still angry with you" you shouted and Steve turned around quickly. He put his hands up in defense and began backing away. 

     "I'm sorry but it was the only way you would actually come" he tried to explain, he tried to run away but you followed. "Loki, help!"

     "And what's in it for me?" Loki asked as you produced a dagger in your hands. Loki seemed to be enjoying this but the others weren't. Thor grabbed you by the waist threw you over his shoulder. 

     "Sorry little sister, but we can't have you killing the captain" Thor explained. You grumbled, about to stab him for picking you up when you stopped yourself. "You aren't going to stab me?" Thor asked as he set you down on the couch roughly. 

     "You defended my honor when it came to Odin, you will only get away with this once though, so move" You told him as you went to get up again. Thor took his hammer and placed it on your lap. The confusion on your face was evident. "What the bloody hell are you doing?" You asked. 

     "Keeping you there until you calm down" he said as he backed away from you. You rolled your eyes and got up from the couch. Much to everyone's surprise, Mjolnir simply fell to the ground with a loud 'thud'. 

     "Really Thor? You think that little trinket is going to stop me?" You asked, hand on your hips as you glared at him. Loki, from the sidelines, couldn't contain his laughter as Thor tried to process what happened. 

     "It's always worked on Loki" Thor mumbled and you shook your head. 

     "Well, I'm not Loki, now am I?" You snap before fixing your eyes back on Steve. 

     "Loki! Please!" He yelled out once you began walking towards him. Much to your disappointment, Loki pulled you into his side, derailing you from your goal once again.  You glared at him briefly but it softened right away when you see his smile. 

     "I think you have frightened the heroes enough for one day darling" he tells you and you huff but agree. You wrap your arms around Loki's waist and place your head on his chest. He kisses the top of your head and hugs you as well. 

     "That is one amazing super power you have there" Tony chuckles. Before you or Loki are able to reply, a crack of lightening sticks in the middle of the room and then disappears but leaves a small card. You detach yourself from Loki and walk over, picking it up to read it. 

_I hope you enjoy your gift._

_\- Zeus_

     You stare at it for a moment in panic, unsure of what to do. Loki comes up behind you and you fell his hands on your hips as he reads the note. His hands tighten around you and you can tell he is angry. 

     "We are about to have a problem" you tell the others, handing the note over to Bucky. You shimmered into your battle armor, as did Loki. Thor, taking this to mean there was a fight coming, did the same. Natasha unzipped her dress to reveal a black body suit, a little different to the one she usually wears and you had to do a double take. A gun is attached to her hip and she takes it out, getting ready. "Do you wear that under every dress?"

     "Never know when trouble will strike" she smirks. 

     "So, what is Zeus sending?" Steve asked, the note had made its way around the room now and everyone was getting ready for a fight. 

     "No clue" you responded. Another crack of lightening hit and a few feet from you and the group stood a large bull. Its head was pointing down, horns aimed directly at you. It had a heavy mane that had scaly patches throughout. 

     "Are we supposed to be afraid of a bull?" Clint asked and you nodded. 

     "It’s a Catoblepas and yes, I would be very afraid if I were you" you told him, ushering everyone to back up slowly. "It's breath secretes a poison, you can't get too close to it" you tell them.

     "How bad is the poison?" Loki asked, clearly wondering how you were suppose to kill it if you couldn't get near it. 

     "It may kill you and Thor, I'm not sure about myself though. I never heard of a Titan testing it out" you told him honestly. 

     "If I can get a bow and arrow, will that take it out?" Clint asked quietly. You backed them up once more, a little slower as the Catoblepas finally seemed to be aware of their presence. 

     "Worth a shot" you tell him. Before you can materialize a bow and arrow, the creature lifts its head up, just barely, and charges. Everyone dove to different sides of the room to avoid it and Natasha began shooting as soon as she hit the ground. It did nothing but seem to agitate the it.

     "Natasha, watch out!" You dove for you as the bull charged towards her. You managed to cover her with your body and held a hand out to stop the horns from penetrating your torso. The breath was hot on your skin which began to redden and blister. 

     Shoving the beast away from you and Natasha, you managed to get up, cradling your arm. You cursed under your breath. 

     "Don't let it breath on you" you told the others.  The bull was charging back towards you and Natasha pulled you out of the way. There was a large crash as the Catoblepas collided with the wall. Tony flew over in his Iron Man costume as Loki rushed over to you as well. 

     "Hopefully his breath can't penetrate the suit" Tony mumbled before walking up to the beast. "Come on fugly, over here" Tony cooed. Bruce was in the corner, trying to stay calm. 

     "Don't turn green" you told him as you got him, Loki fussing over your arm. "Tony, can you keep it still?" You asked and you seen the helmet nod. The Catoblepas turned around, charging at Tony who grabbed it by the horns, stopping it in its tracks. 

     "What do I do now?" Tony yelled, moving his position slightly as if that would help him keep the large beast in place. 

     "Thor, hit it with a lightening blast!" You told him. Thor nodded and pointed Mjolnir at the beasts head. You squinted as a bolt of lightening hit the head, just under Tony's armored hands. The Catoblepas huffed out a breath of air and dropped. Tony waited, standing in front of it as the beast's chest continued to rise and fall. 

     "What do we do with it now?" Bucky asked. You shrugged. 

     "Keep it as a pet?" You asked. Tony opened his helmet and looked at you like you were crazy. 

     "We are not keeping a poisonous bull as a pet in my tower!" He argued. You rolled your eyes at him. 

     "Well do you want to kill it? Now's your chance" you told him. It this state, the creature looked peaceful and almost cute. He looked down at the sleeping Catoblepas and then back up at you and sighed. 

     "I will build it a cage" he mumbled.  You smiled and others gave a nervous chuckle, unsure of how to feel about the new pet. 

     "As the story goes, they only got their poisonous breath because they ate poisoned vegetation on Olympus. Maybe if we feed him a real diet, he won't be dangerous anymore" you were just guessing, but at least it was something. 

     "Stay still Titan, I am trying to help your wound" Loki growled at you. The others gathered around you and winced as they seen your arm. 

     "It's fine, it will heal" you told them. Loki rested his hand on it, the cooling sensation actually helping to ease the pain. He let his hand turn blue and froze a bit of the wound. 

     "I hope this will help" Loki tells you and you smile, grabbing his shirt and bringing him in for a kiss. 

     "It does, thank you" you told him. Steve looked around nervously, then back at you and Loki. 

     "Does this mean I'm safe?" He asked, still a little nervous that you were going to stab him. He would heal from the wound, that didn't mean it didn't hurt though. You gave him a teasing smile. 

     "For now". 


	36. Chapter 36

     You bounced down the stairs, on your way to the lab in a particularly perky mood. One you hoped wouldn’t be ruined by Zeus sending another gift to kill the Avengers. You were alone this morning since Thor had wanted to train with Loki. You could have opted to train with them, but that wasn't fitting your mood at the moment. 

     You burst into the doors of the lab, somewhat startling Tony but your sudden presence didn't have any effect on Bruce. He was looking through a microscope at something, and off in the far-right corner was a large cage with the Catoblepas in it. You walked up to the cage and placed your hand on the glass. 

     "How is Bob today?" You asked Tony who walked up and stood beside you. He gave you an odd look, mostly confusion you assumed. 

     "You've named the deadly beast Bob?" Tony asked. "There are countless cooler names you could have picked and you went with Bob?" You shrugged your shoulders. 

     "Seems to be a popular name here on Earth" you told him. "Answer my question, how is he?" Tony sighed and beckoned you over to his desk. You followed him over and he pulled up a chart, although you weren't sure what it was suppose to tell you. 

     "We've been monitoring his saliva since he has been on Earth and eating non-toxic food. It seems to be getting rid of the poison; however, only way to know for sure is to test it" Tony told you and you nodded. 

     "Let me go in there with him then" you told Tony. 

     "You're wound is barely healed" Bruce commented. You hadn't realized he had been listening to the conversation but now he was making his way over to you and Tony. A large white bandage still covered your arm and Bruce began to unwrap it. 

     "It's almost healed though" you defended. Bruce gave you an annoyed look, sometimes you were sure he didn't like you, but maybe it was just the lack of sleep making him cranky? You weren't sure what he was working on but he spent a lot of time in the labs, mostly overnight. 

     "I'll be the judge of that" Bruce gave you a small smile as he pulled back the last bit of clothe that covered the wound. It was still red but your skin healing and it didn't look so much like your arm had been melted anymore. 

     "See, I told you it was getting better" you teased, a smile on your face. Bruce just shook his head and got some of the ointment he had been using on it. The cooling ointment did feel good and once it was wrapped up again, a new bandage was placed around your arm. 

     "Let me take a look at the data before you even think about going in there" Bruce told you, although you assumed he had meant it as a command, it sounded more like a plea. You crossed your arms and did your best to look annoyed. 

     "Fine, do what you must" you told him. In the meantime, you went to the cage where Bob was, admiring him without the added danger of getting hurt. You hoped this would work, that way he could be let outside and among other creatures. Maybe a sanctuary would be able to take him in?

     You heard the door open and close and footsteps making their way towards the back of the lab, towards you. 

     "I have been looking for you, doll" Bucky's voice made you look away from the creature. He smiled at you, always a pleasant face, that Bucky, you thought. 

     "What did you need?" You asked. 

     "Oh nothing, Steve was in a meeting and I was just bored" he told you as he shrugged his shoulders. "He really is a beautiful creature, I hate to see him locked up like this; even if he did try and kill us" Bucky grimaced at the last bit. 

     "It wasn't his fault, Zeus plucked him from his home and set him down in front of a bunch of strangers, anyone would attack" you sighed, you felt sorry for him. 

     "As much as I want to disagree, I think it's safe for a test run" Bruce's voice interrupted your hushed conversation with Bucky. You smiled and got ready to open the door. 

     "Wait, you're letting her go in there?" Bucky asked, a little nervous. The wound on your arm was still evidence that the creature was dangerous, whether it meant to be or not. 

     "We couldn't stop her even if we tried" Tony reminded him. Bucky rolled his eyes, that wasn't a good excuse. "Besides, from what our data shows, he may no longer be poisonous" Tony added. You were already opening the door and popping inside the cage with Bob. 

     "You do realize that if she gets hurt, Loki will kill all of us, right?" Bucky added, glaring at Tony who simply waved him off. 

     "We'll be fine" Tony told him. Bucky shook his head before gluing his eyes to you. He watched for any adverse affects while you gently cooed at the Catoblepas. For far nothing, there was no pain or blistering on your skin and although the feeling of his hot breath made you jump for a moment, nothing happened. 

     "It worked!" You yelled out to the others, a large smile on your face. Bucky watched for a little while longer, you looked so happy. Once the Catoblepas looked thoroughly annoyed by your loving presence, you decided to peel yourself away from the animal and leave it's cage. "So what do we do now?" 

     "Well I will make a few calls and see which sanctuary can care for him and arrange transport" Tony smile and you nodded as he walked out of the labs. 

     "So, did you want to get something to eat?" Bucky asked, as Bruce went back to his own corner of the lab. 

     "Sure, I will catch up with you in just a moment" you told him, he nodded and left the room as well. You quietly walked over to Bruce, he had been too wrapped up in his work again to notice you standing over him. You read through the plans and the equations that you could see, narrowing your eyes to get a good look. "Are you working on a vortex manipulator?" 

     Bruce jumped out of his seat, landing on the floor. He really hadn't noticed you. He clutched his heart as he pulled himself back up again. 

     "Don't do that" he breathed out. 

     "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Is this what you've been working on all hours of the day and night?" You asked. He looked like he didn't want to answer the question, then sighed. 

     "Yes, it occurred to me that if this fight takes us to Olympus or in the middle of no where, we may need a quick exit. I haven't told anyone yet though" he rubbed his eyes. 

     "That's a good idea, if I die then this is a good to have to ensure the safety of the team" you mumbled. 

     "Don't say that, you're not going to die" Bruce argued. You laughed lightly, taking a seat on his desk with your arms crossed. 

     "I like you're optimism Bruce, but let's face it, the odds are against us" you told him. You could see him nod in understanding. He didn't look sad, he only looked tired. "Why don't you get some rest and tomorrow I will help you with this project" you offered. 

     "You know how to work these things?" He asked, a little skeptically. 

     "Not yet, but remember, I'm clever" you winked. He laughed and it was contagious, soon you were laughing too. 

     "Thanks, I needed a good laugh and I think I will take you up on that offer. Looks like I need all the help I can get" he agreed. 

     "Good, now go get some rest" you ordered. He reluctantly got up and headed out of the door. You followed him to his room, mostly just to ensure Bruce would actually go to his room and sleep. After that was done, you headed to the kitchen to find Bucky already cooking. You took your seat and the conversation flowed easily. 

     Loki and Thor weren't too long coming in after you did. A smile grew on your face as you jumped up to meet the Trickster God. You jumped in his arms, he caught you easily and spun you around once. 

     "You're in an awfully good mood, Titan. Who did you maim?" Loki asked as he set you down. You laughed and hit him lightly on the shoulder. 

     "I didn't maim anyone, can't I just be in a good mood?" You asked. 

     "You can, but it's frightening" Thor replied. You rolled your eyes but went to sit down at the table with them. 

     "So what did you do to occupy your time then?" Loki asked as you got comfortable. You shrugged your shoulders. 

     "Wandered around, visited the labs, found out Bob isn't poisonous anymore so we are going to send him to a sanctuary" you told him. Loki looked at you with a raised eyebrow. 

     "Care to elaborate on that last one? Who is Bob?" Loki asked. 

     "It's that bull that tried to kill us all" Bucky told him, not bothering to turn around from he stove. He didn't have to, he already knew that angry look that Loki got, especially when you were in danger. 

     "You named that infernal beast?" Loki asked. 

     "He is a sweetheart!" You replied, not bothering to answer the question, you assumed it was rhetorical anyway. Loki simply shook his head with a smile on his face. 

     "It's a good think I'm already madly in love with you"


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it's been so long since I updated. I thought I would get more done during my vacation, but I did not. I hope you enjoy the new chapter, should get some more up soon!

               You huffed as you hit the bright red button. The treadmill slowed to a stop and you jumped off. Your face was red as you wiped the sweat from it. You silently regretted your decision to get out of bed early to work out, you should have just cuddled up with Loki.

                “Good workout?” Thor asked, coming into the gym. You looked up surprised, you hadn’t expected him to be up this early. Even Loki had still been sleeping when you left him this morning.

                “Yes, it’s a good way to wake up” you told him with a smile. Thor smiled and nodded before looking around. You wondered what he was searching for, half the gym was still dark, and you were clearly the only person around.

                “Is Loki with you?” He asked. You narrowed your eyes at him, wondering what he was up to. You and Thor never really spent time alone together, and he was making it weird.

                “No, I think he is still sleeping” you told him. “What’s going on Thor?” You asked, hands on your hips. He stepped a little closer to you and it made you want to back up, but you didn’t. You had to trust Thor, he had proven himself time and time again, there was no reason for you to be untrusting.

                “I know Loki would not tell you himself, but I felt that you should know” Thor started, and you began to worry.

                “Is something wrong with Loki?” You asked quickly. You felt your heart rate speed up at the mere thought of it. Thor rushed over to you, putting two calming hands on your shoulders.

                “No, sorry, of course not!” he rushed out. You took a deep breath and nodded, that was good. “I just wanted to let you know that today was his birthday” Thor told you and you slapped him.

                “You had me worried for that!” You yelled at him. He mumbled an apology and you rolled your eyes at him. “Why didn’t he tell me?” You asked. Thor looked sad for a moment, with a hint of guilt, you thought.

                “Loki’s birthday was never a big deal on Asgard, Odin only ever had a small get together with the family. Whereas mine was normally very large, a big feast and a ball. I thought maybe we could plan something for him” Thor admitted. You smiled sadly at him.

                “Alright, do you have anything in mind?” You asked him, but he only shrugged. “Alright, I’ll handle it, how about you get Loki out of the tower today until around 6?” You asked.

                “Sure, what should I tell him?” Thor asked. You shrugged your shoulders.

                “Make something up” you told him. He stared at you, unamused.

                “Did you happen to forget that he is the God of Lies? He will see through anything I tell him” Thor grumbled. You sighed, you would have thought that Thor would have had a handle on this after growing up with Loki.

                “Then don’t lie, plan something out this morning and stick to it. Just keep him out of the tower. I will take care of the rest” You smile, running out of the gym before Thor could object.

***

                You got ready and found Loki in the kitchen eating breakfast. For a moment, you wondered if he cooked for himself, but Clint in an apron in front of the stove soon answered that for you.

                “I was wondering where you were, you weren’t in bed when I woke up” Loki asked when you walked in. You went to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

                “I couldn’t sleep so I got up early to go to the gym” you told him, sitting down next to him. Loki nodded, you frequently couldn’t sleep, it wasn’t surprising. “What’s for breakfast?” You asked.

                “Pancakes!” Clint announced, putting a plate in front of you and Loki. You smiled and dug in at the same time as Loki. “So, what’s your plans for the day?” Clint asked as he sat down as well. You shrugged, and Loki scoffed.

                “The oaf apparently wants to train outside today, so I am stuck doing that unless someone can get me out of it” he complained. You tried not to smirk, Thor had actually thought of something; part of you didn’t think he was going to be able to trick Loki. “(Y/N), you should come with us, it would make the whole experience a lot less painful” Loki asked.

                “Sorry love, I have to stay in the tower today, secret project” you told him with a smirk. He looked down sadly at him pancakes and continued eating. “I promise I will make it up to you when you get back though” you told him.

                “I will hold you to that, Titan” Loki smirked.

                “Brother, are you ready?” Thor yelled, coming into the kitchen. You could see Loki roll his eyes before turning around.

                “Must you always be so loud?” Loki complained, and you could hear Clint snicker. You tried not to as well. “Yes, I am ready brother” Loki told Thor, opting to ignore you and Clint. “I will see you tonight, darling” Loki gave you a quick kiss before leaving the room with Thor. You waited a few moments before hoping up off the stool.

                “Where are you going?” Clint asked, getting up from the stool as well, gathering the plates to add them to the kitchen sink.

                “I have to see a man about a party!” You winked before leaving. You walked through the tower, all the way down to the labs where you assumed Tony would be in the early mornings. You walked in and looked around, finding Tony hunched over a desk, a small computer chip over a microscope as he worked. “Can I talk to you?” You asked. He jumped and turned around.

                “You damn near gave me a heart attack!” Tony complained. “What time is it?” He asked after thinking for a moment.

                “A little after seven in the morning” you laughed. He nodded and got up, going towards the coffee maker he kept in the lab.

                “What are you doing here so early?” Tony asked. You sat down on one of the counters, biting your lip before taking a deep breath.

                “I know you aren’t really fond of Loki and I, but you are an expert in these things and I have a favor to ask” you told him. He turned around, mug in hand and a raised eyebrow. “It’s Loki’s birthday today and I would like-”

                “Say no more!” Tony cut you off, much to your surprise.

                “But you don’t even know what I am going to ask” you say, wondering why he was so eager to agree. Tony smiled and cook a sip of his coffee. 

                “You came to me to throw a party for Loki!” He answers, and you cock your head to the side, looking at him in confusion. “It’s easy to deduce, I am an amazing party planner and you want to do something special for Loki. Count me in, when does it need to be ready for?”

                “He will be back in the tower for six” you told him, and he nodded.

                “Leave it to me, you just worry about what to get him for his birthday” Tony smiled, it was a little unnerving, but you nodded and left the labs. You were still thinking about the party and what you were going to wear when you bumped into Natasha.

                “Hey, Earth to (Y/N)!” Natasha snapped, waving a hand in front of your face. You smiled and shook your thoughts from your head.

                “Sorry, Nat, I was just thinking” you told her. She nodded but looked at you skeptically; especially when Tony walked by giving you a thumbs up and a large grin.

                “Alright, that was weird. What’s going on?” She asked. You had to admit, Tony helping you without having to threaten him was weird, but maybe you had just underestimated how much he loved a good party.

                “We are throwing Loki a surprise party tonight; for his birthday” you told her.

                “Oh, well I should find something to get him then” she stated. It hadn’t been the response you were expecting. You had thought Tony would have to bribe most of the Avengers to come to the party. “What are you getting him?” She asked, bringing you out of your own thoughts once more.

                “Well I was going to sneak into Asgard and see if I could get his Mother here for the evening” you told him sheepishly.

                “You know Loki would not approve of you going to Asgard by yourself” she told you, a slight hint of scolding in her voice. “At least take Bucky with you, I have to go shopping for Loki now” Natasha smiled before leaving you. You thought about what she said, maybe having backup wasn’t the worse idea; so, you made your way to Bucky’s room.

                He didn’t answer your knocking, so you fiddled with the doorknob. It was locked, but that wasn’t going to stop you. You held the knob while you magic went to work unlocking it, once it was done, you covered your eyes and opened the door.

                “Bucky, I need a favor!” You yelled out, hoping to announce yourself. You heard a curse and a bit of shuffling around before you opened your eyes. Bucky was glaring at you as he put on his shirt and Steve was looking anywhere but at you a few feet away from Bucky. You looked between them suspiciously. “What’s going on here?” You asked.

                “Nothing, what did you need?” Bucky grumbled.

                “We are throwing a party for Loki’s birthday today and I am heading to Asgard to see if I can get his Mother to accompany me for the party. Natasha pointed out that I should not go alone, so I need you to come with me” you told him.

                “That’s good, none of us should be alone with threat of Zeus hanging over us” Steve told you, all forms of shyness completely gone now. You nodded, you had a feeling he would say that. Steve had been urging everyone to use the ‘buddy system’ for weeks now.

                “Fine, I will go with you” Bucky huffed. Steve smiled for a moment, hands on his hips as he looked at both of you.

                “And I will go find Tony to see how I can help with the party. Good luck you two and come back alive”.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry but Loki isn't really in this chapter! He will be coming back shortly though! :)

     "So, how does this work?” Bucky asked as he shifted nervously from foot to foot. You had dragged him onto the roof, enjoying the fresh morning air for a moment before holding out your hand to him. 

     “Just take my hand and relax” you smiled. He hesitantly reached out and griped your hand firmly. His metal arm came out to grab your forearm nervously and you laughed. In a moment, the familiar pull of your magic was surrounding both you and Bucky. You watched Bucky squeeze his eyes shut as the scenery began to change around you. Once you were on solid ground again, you had to laugh at Bucky’s obvious discomfort, normally the super soldier wasn’t scared of anything. 

     “Are we there?” He asked, peeking through one eye. 

     “Yes, we are in the castle” you told him. You looked around, ensuring that you had landed in Loki’s room as you intended. Bucky let out a sigh of relief as he sat on the edge of a chair. His hand ran through his hair as he took a few large breaths. “Are you okay?”

     “Yeah, just a little nauseous, never traveled by magic before” he replied, taking a few more deep breaths before getting back onto his feet. “I thought the only way to get to Asgard was through the Bifrost?” Bucky asked and you waved him off. 

     “Those rules don’t apply to me” you smirked. Bucky shook his head and laughed before looking around. He took in his surroundings and looked back up at you. 

     “Where are we?” He asked. 

     “Loki's room; it was the only room I knew we would be safe to land in. I sent a telepathic message to his mother to meet me here, that way I don’t run the risk of bumping into Odin” you told him. He nodded in understanding, you had told everyone what had happened on your last visit and you weren’t in any rush to repeat it. It didn’t take long before Sif came bursting through the door, sword in hand. Bucky was by your side in an instant, shielding you with his metal arm while you gave him a confused look. 

     “Oh, it is just you. When the Allmother said she received a message from you, I thought it may be a trap” she told you, putting down the sword. You moved Bucky’s arm from in front of you. 

     “Nice to see you too Sif” you smile. She laughs and smiles as well, bringing you in for a hug. You know Bucky is watching intently, ensuring that no harm comes to you; he did not want to have to explain to Loki that you got hurt in his watch. “Bucky, this is Sif, one of Thor’s friends. Sif, this is Bucky, one of the Avengers from Earth” you introduced them. 

     “Nice to meet you” she smiled at Bucky before turning to you. “The Allmother requested that I bring you to her in her chambers”, you nodded and followed her out of the room. Bucky stayed close to you, but his eyes wandered, taking in the extravagance of the castle. It was definitely a site to see, the golden ornate walls were beautiful. 

     You turned another corner and you peaked at Bucky again, ensuring that he was still following you. The palace was oddly quiet this morning, you briefly wondered where everyone was, if not in the palace. 

     “Odin sent a lot of the guards out to patrol the borders after the troll attack, it’s been quiet ever since” Sif told you, as if she had been reading your mind. 

     “So no more trouble then?” You asked and she shook her head; that was good. One more turn and you stopped at a door, you assumed to be your destination. Sif knocked three times and entered, you and Bucky following close behind. Frigga was standing in the middle of the room, hands clasped in front of her, smiling at you. You noticed the warriors three by the door once you entered as well, but they said nothing. Bucky noticed too, and moved closer to you. 

     “It’s so wonderful to see you again my dear, is Loki with you?” She asked, moving towards you. She outstretched her arms and brought you into a hug, much to Bucky’s surprise, you hugged back. 

     “No, he is not”, you told her sadly. She looked disappointed, but only for a moment before she was smiling once more. 

     “And who’s this?” She asked before you could tell her why you were here. Bucky bowed instantly, taken by surprise by the sudden attention. 

     “This is Bucky, an Avenger and a dear friend of ours” you told Frigga, stifling a laugh.

     “You can get up” Frigga told him politely. “There is no need to bow, it is always a pleasure or meet a friend of my sons”. She turned back to you. “Not that I don’t love a surprise visit, but may I ask what this is concerning? Are Thor and Loki alright?”

     “Oh yes, they are fine. I am here to invite you to attend Loki’s surprise birthday party tonight, on Midgard” you told her. Her eyes visible lit up, giving you a surprised look. 

     “How wonderful, Loki will be terribly upset when he realizes he has been tricked”, a hint of mischievousness to her voice. 

     “Oh yes, I am sure he will” you smirked. 

     “Let me speak with Odin, so he does not worry and I will meet you in Loki’s room in an hour. Why don’t you show Bucky around the market, I am sure it will keep you both entertain while I am busy” she told you and you nodded. “Sif, if you would please accompany me and you three” she paused to point at the warriors, “please keep an eye on Asteria, you do not want to face Loki’s wrath if something should happen to her” Frigga warned. 

     You laughed at the warriors, nodding their heads furiously as Frigga left the room with Sif in toe. All three relaxed once she was gone. 

     “Bucky, this is Hogun, Volstagg and Fandral. Warriors, this is Bucky a member of the Avengers and someone who will tell Loki if you try and flirt with me”, that last part was directed at Fandral who looked to the floor. Volstagg gave a hearty laugh. 

     “Come friends, we will show you the market and the best tavern in all of Asgard!”

***

     You walked through the streets of Asgard, going unnoticed by the locals. Being without Loki definitely helped draw the attention away from you, even though Bucky got a few odd stares at him metal arm. You suspected he was use to it, but you still felt like punching them for staring. You grabbed onto his metal arm, using it to prop yourself against him as you walk. 

     “You know, if you ever want to find information in a new world, best place to go is the market” you told him with a smile. “These people are always gossiping and usually don’t realize the importance of the information they carry. They are more willing to give it up without a price” you smirk. 

     “Makes sense, makes their lives more interesting” Bucky agreed. You continued to walk, following the Warrior’s Three through the market and towards the tavern they so desperately wanted to show off. 

     “Speaking of people gossiping, what’s going on with you and Steve?” It was hard to miss the noticeable blush and embarrassment that crossed his face. 

     “Nothing” he coughed. You hadn’t thought of Bucky as a terrible lair before, but you did now. You laughed and shook your head. 

     “You insult my intelligence” you faked insult. Bucky sighed, he knew he wasn’t getting out of the conversation that easily. Before you could bug him about it again, the Warriors made a triumphant yell and you looked up to find that you had made it to the tavern. 

     You followed the boys in, taking a quick look around. It wasn’t too full, although it was still early morning, it should have been empty. You and Bucky took a seat with Hogun as the other two went to get drinks. It was silent while you waited, you were unsure of how to converse with Thor’s friends; luckily, the other two weren’t long coming back. 

     “So, this party for Loki; are we invited?” Fandral asked as he took a seat next to you. You watched Bucky glare at him from across the table, daring him to do something. His metal hand twitched, waiting to be used. 

     “I doubt Loki would enjoy that” you responded. Loki’s idea of a good time wasn’t even a party, you had no idea how he was going to react to this. 

     “Oh come on, we’ll behave!” Fandral pouted. “Besides, Odin will want the Allmother to have bodyguards with her. Wouldn’t we be better than a guard of Odin’s choosing?” Damn, he had a point, you thought. 

      “Fine, but if you don’t behave I will return you all back to Asgard in pieces; or as frogs, whichever is funnier to Loki” you threatened and they all nodded slowly. Bucky snickered, trying to hide behind the large cup of mead. 

     “Loki may even think of a better option, he is very creative when it comes to torture” Bucky added and you smirked, Loki was definitely good at that. “On another topic, what should I get Loki for his birthday?” Bucky asked. 

     “You’re already helping me bring his Mother to the party, I think that’s enough” you told him honestly. 

     “I would still like to get him a little something; you know for being a good teammate and not killing us all” Bucky told you. 

     “He use to like the spiced wine here, I’m sure you could do a few chores in exchange for a bottle” Hogun tells you both. Bucky nods as Hogun points to the man who owns the bars. Then, you are left all alone with the Warriors three. 

     “Do you not like the mead? You’ve barely touched your drink!” Fandral announced. You looked down at you cup, you had forgotten it was even there. You took a sip and nodded appreciatively. 

      “It’s good”  you told them. Silence fell over the four of you but the tavern got louder. It seemed that people in Asgard began drinking much earlier than on Earth. People paraded in and chugged their mead down with large burps at the end. The longer you stayed in the tavern, the more you hated it. 

     “Well I haven't seen your pretty face around here before” a large man told you as he staggered near. All three warriors took a drink at the same time, watching you in anticipation. 

     “That’s because I haven't been here before” you said as nicely as you could manage. He laughed at that, a big hearty laugh as he patted his belly. 

     “Tell you what little lady, if you can finish that beer before I finish mine, I will buy your party the next round” he challenged so you shrugged your shoulders. 

     “Alright then” you said before bringing the mead to your lips and drinking. You didn’t stop, breathing through your nose as you drank. You could hear the warriors getting rowdier the closer you got to the end. Once done, you slammed the glass on the table, looked over to the man and smirked. “Looks like you owe my friends and I a drink”. 

     “You are an amazing woman!” He bellowed, “no one has ever beaten me before! Barkeep, a round for my new friends here!” He yelled across the bar, making you move away from the loud voice. There were more rowdy cheers from the warriors and you were suddenly thinking that you should have just taken Loki out to dinner. 

     A new round was placed on the table and Fandral gave you one. You took a sip and looked around for Bucky; you could see him going from room to room carrying large barrels. You took another drink, ignoring the conversation in front of you. You were beginning to get bored when Bucky came back, bottle in hand and a large smile on his face. 

     “Got it” he said proudly. You smiled at how happy he was with himself, it was endearing. 

     “Good, and don’t think I forgot about our conversation. Have a drink and tell me what’s going on with Steve” you told him, shoving a full glass of mead in his direction. He blushed again, taking the large cup and drinking a good portion of the mead before setting it back down. 

     “I don’t how whats going on with us” you gave him a disbelieving look. “Don’t look at me like that, I’m serious. It’s weird, I like him more than I know I should” Bucky seemed at a loss for words. 

     “I get it, the mortals of the 40’s were very sexually repressed. If you like him, go for it, no one is going to judge either of you” you told him and he seemed shocked. 

     “How did you-” 

     “You forget that I have been on Earth for awhile now, I have lived through decades and seen the changes that have happened. There is nothing wrong with you liking Steve, if a relationship comes out of it then great, if not, that's fine too” you shrugged. “And I will make you a promise, if anyone says anything bad about it, I will kick their ass”, Bucky laughed. 

     “Thanks, it’s nice to have someone to talk to about this stuff” Bucky smiled. 

     “What else are friends for?” Bucky cocked his head to the head slightly. 

     “We’re friends?” He asked with a smirk on his face. “I just thought I was the one least likely to be killed by Loki for being around you” he laughed. 

     “Well that too, but yes, we’re friends I hope” you told him and he nodded, clinking his glass against yours. Among all the noise of the tavern you heard Frigga calling out to you. You drank the rest of your mead, signaling Bucky to finish up as well. “Time to head out guys!” You yelled to the crowd. They nodded and finished their drinks as well. As you got up, the door to the tavern opened to reveal Odin’s personal guards. 

     “We are here to arrest Asteria by personal order of the Allfather” one of them declared. Bucky let out a sigh, before glaring at the guards and getting ready for a fight. You on the other hand just sighed in exacerbation. 

     “Fuck”. 

     “How are we going to get out of this one?” Bucky asked, slowly moving beside you but keeping an eye on the guards the whole time. You looked at him with a mischievous gleam in your eye, one that would rival Loki’s own gleam. 

     “Start a bar brawl?” 


	39. Chapter 39

     You threw a punch, a glass was thrown against a wall, and the fight began. You dropped to your knees, dragging Bucky along with you and motioning for the warriors three to follow you. You, Bucky and the warrior’s crawls through the taverns, trying not to get stomped on or hit by flying objects. Making your way through the crowd you could see a light, hoping for a door, you decided to head for it. 

     Once you began to smell fresh air, you were certain that it was a way out.  You weaved around people, throwing yourself to the exit. You were happy to find yourself laying on a patch of grass outside of the tavern and you laughed. 

     “Your insane, doll” Bucky laughed as he fell next to that. Soon the warriors joined you outside of the tavern, laughing like wild dogs. 

     “That was great!” Volstagg laughed. 

     “I don’t think it was wise to piss off Odin” Hogun told you and you shrugged, the man hated you already, you didn’t think this was going to change his mind. 

     “If he wants me, he’ll have to chase me” you smirk. You reached out to Frigga and advised her of what happened. You didn’t get a response right away, so you got up from the ground and helped Bucky on his feet. 

 _“Please come back to the castle”_ you heard Frigga’s voice. 

     “The Allmother wants us to return to the palace” you told the others. They nodded and decided to walk back. You listen to the warriors laugh about the brawl still going on behind you as you made your way through the market again. Bucky still clutched the bottle of wine tightly in his hands, you had been surprised that he didn’t lose it during the fight. 

     “Are you sure it’s wise for us to go back to the palace?” Bucky whispered. You shrugged your shoulders. 

     “I trust Frigga, she would never hurt Loki and I am pretty sure imprisoning me and giving me back to Zeus would count as hurting him” you reasoned and Bucky accepted that. The rest of the walk back was quiet, but you continued to keep your eye out for more guards. 

     Once in the walls of the palace, you could clearly hear yelling. All of you winced at the sound of a loud crash, and then more yelling. It was Frigga doing the yelling, there was no doubt in your mind about that, but you stayed still, waiting for the Warriors to do something first; but no one moved. 

     “I was wondering when you guys would get back!” Sif explained, coming from around the corner and surprising everyone. 

     “We came back as soon as we could” you told her and she nodded. Frigga would have told her what happened, you assumed. There was another loud crash and more yelling, but it was getting slightly closer; Sif sighed. 

     “They have been going at it since you told her what happened. I don’t think I have ever seen her so angry” Sif explained. You felt bad that you were causing a rift between the family and Odin, but he did want to imprison you so it quickly dissipated. 

     “I suppose she won’t be coming to the party then?” Bucky asked. 

     “I think she is now more determined than ever to go, besides, she loves seeing Thor and Loki” Sif smiled. The yelling died down and everyone held their breath, waiting for what was next. Frigga gracefully walked down the hall, smiling when she seen you all standing about. 

     “Well then, shall we head out?” She asked. You paused for a moment, a little stunned and unsure of what to say, until Bucky nudged you. 

     “Yes, of course” you said quickly. “Are we able to use the Bifrost without Odin attempting to arrest me again?” You asked, unsure of the best way to get home. There was an awkward pause and you watched Frigga try to find the right words. “I will take that silence as a no” you mumbled and laughed. “Alright everyone, hands in and hold tight” you told them. 

     Everyone looked at you strangely, expect Bucky of course, and complied with your demands. Your magic engulfed the large group, you could already tell this was going to be rough on you. Travelling through the realms alone was easy, even travelling with a passenger was doable but a large group like this; that took strength. 

     You were breathing hard by the time your feet hit solid ground again and you struggled to not collapse. Frigga gave you a knowing, and disapproving look, but said nothing. You took a deep breath and stood up, smile on your face. 

     “Welcome to the Avengers Tower” you told them. 

     “It’s still Stark Tower! I just let everyone live here!” You heard Tony yell from somewhere down the hall. He quickly made his way over to you, did a double take at the group, then look back to you. “Just what I need, more Asgardians” he quipped. 

     “Tony, this is Frigga, Loki and Thor’s Mother” you introduce him with a firm and warning tone. He smiled, took her hand and bent down to kiss it. 

     “It’s lovely to meet you, Thor is a wonderful man and Loki is getting there” he smiled but Frigga, luckily, took it as the joke Tony was intending and laughed. 

     “These are Thor’s friends, Sif, Volstagg, Hogun and Fandral. They wanted to come as well but don’t worry, they will be on their best behavior” you shot all four of them a warning glance and they all nodded. 

     “Nice to meet you all, I’m Tony Stark, better known as Iron Man” he smiled proudly at then before turning back to you. “Titan, can I get your approval on a few things in the living room?” Tony asked and you nodded. 

     “Can you show them around Bucky? There should be enough guest rooms on the lower floors for everyone too” you told him and Bucky nodded, ushering everyone to the elevators. You followed Tony into the living room and was immediately stunned by the amount of work going on. 

     Steve was blowing up balloons while Bruce was in the corner organizing the bar and Clint was hanging upside down from the ceiling putting up green and golden streamers. The furniture was pushed back to the sides of the room with a few tables around it and the middle of the room was completely cleared. 

     “So what did you need my approval on? Seems like you have everything completely under control here” you told him. 

     “Oh of course I do, I just wanted to check on you. You look very sickly” Tony asked, a look of concern on his face seem very out of place to you. 

     “Yes, we just ran into some issues on Asgard and I had to use more magic than I should have” you confessed. 

     “What issues?” Steve asked. “Where’s Bucky?” he added. You could see the worry on his face when he couldn’t find Bucky next to you; it made you smile. 

     “He is showing the Asgardians around, don’t worry, he’s fine” you told Steve, who visible relaxed. “Odin had sent guards to arrest me when he realized I was on Asgard, we managed to get away but we weren’t able to use the Bifrost to come back; thus, too much magic” you smiled weakly. 

     “We still have a couple of hours before Loki and Thor get back, maybe you should go rest up a little bit before getting ready” Steve told you. You smiled at both the men in front of you, trying to ease their concern for you. 

     “I will be fine, I’m going to go check on Bucky and made sure the Asgardian’s don’t overwhelm him” you laugh and headed out before either of them could object. Bucky was easy to find, they had made it down to the training areas where you saw Natasha effectively kicking the warrior’s asses. 

     “She insisted” Bucky defended himself and you laughed, patting him on the back and resting your head on his shoulder. You were comfortable enough around Bucky now to do this, after all, he was one of your first friends in the tower. 

     “It’s alright, it will keep them entertained until the party” you told him. Frigga watched the fight intently, making sure to keep her eye on Natasha. 

     “She fights amazingly well for a mortal, we could definitely use her expertise back on Asgard” Frigga smiled until she looked over at you. Her smile instantly disappeared into a frown as you struggled to keep your eyes opened. “You used far too much magic once again dear, you should be resting” she scolded. Bucky lifted up your head and took a good look at you. 

     “She's right doll, you look terrible” he agreed. You snorted and shooed Bucky’s hand away from you. 

     “I’ll be fine, I will have a few coffees and be good as new!” You told him. Just as the words came out of your mouth, Wanda appeared from down the hall with a large mug of coffee, you could instantly smell the sweet aroma as she passed it to you. 

     “Tony said you might be needing this” she told you with a smile. You took the cup gratefully and swallowed a large amount. “How are the warriors holding up?” She asked, taking a quick look around you. 

     “Not very well” Bucky laughed. Wanda shook her head and rapped her knuckle on the window, getting their attention. She pointed to the clock in the room and Natasha nodded. 

     “It’s about time we should be getting ready anyway and (Y/N) here needs some rest whether she wants to admit it or not” Wanda scolded. You rolled your eyes. “You and Sif may join us your majesty” she added. 

     “Oh please, call me Frigga” she insisted and Wanda nodded as the others joined them. 

     “You can handle getting the boys ready, right Bucky?” You asked and he nodded. 

     “Great, let’s go to your room” Natasha ordered. You finished your coffee and put the mug down on a nearby table. 

     “I don’t need to rest, I will be fine” you told her. She rolled her eyes and before you could protest again, she picked you up and slung you over her shoulder. 

     “If you don’t need the rest, then I’m sure you can manage to get out of my grip” she told you as she began walking. Wanda, Sif and Frigga followed, trying not to snicker as you tried to wiggle out of the Black Widow’s grip, it was not going well for you. By the time you reached your room, you were exhausted from your efforts and she had no issue throwing you on your bed. “Rest Titan, Wanda and I will get Sif and Loki’s mother ready” she ordered. 

     All you could do was nod and curl up into a ball around your pillow. It smelt of Loki and you realized just how much you missed him today. Most of your days were spent with the Trickster, you were near inseparable now and you couldn’t wait to see him. You closed your eyes and let the talking fade in the distance, quickly falling asleep. 

***

     “Be careful!” You heard a quiet whisper. “It’s not wise to wake a sleeping Titan” you heard again. You were groggy and turned your head into the pillow. You were still tired, you didn’t want to wake up yet. 

     “I know what I’m doing” another voice hissed. “Wakey, wakey”, a cold hand poked your shoulder. A dagger materialized in your hand as you went to pull it up to the intruder. A metal hand wrapped around your wrist and turned you around, forcing you to fall off the bed. Blinking a few times, you noticed Bucky sitting on top of you, your hand up in the air as he kept the dagger from impaling his chest. 

     “Sorry” you mumbled. He laughed and got up, helping you to your feet as well once the dagger disappeared from your iron grip.

     “It’s almost 6, you should jump in a shower to wake up” he told you. “Oh and I made you another cup of coffee” he told you, handing you a steam mug. You looked around your room, it was a mess. 

     “What did you do to my room?” You asked Natasha, realizing her and Bucky were the only ones in the room now. 

     “We got everyone ready and they are all downstairs waiting for you; so hurry” she ordered. You mumbled a curse under your breath and nodded, heading for your bathroom. You took a freezing cold shower, trying to help your body wake up. It worked a little, the coffee also help but you were still drained. 

     Once out of the shower, you used what little magic you could to get ready. Changing into a lacy green and golden dress, you spun around, letting your hair dry into curls and heels to appear on your feet. You walked out to find Bucky still waiting for you. 

     “You clean up well, Winter Soldier” you smirked and he laughed as you both headed down to the living room. Just as Natasha had said, everyone was there waiting for you. You could feel Bucky stiffen when he seen Steve dressed up in a suit and you smirked. You leaned over to Bucky’s ear. 

     “Go get him tiger” you whispered. He rolled his eyes at you as you burst into a fit of giggled. He let your arm fall as he went to join Steve, ignoring the strange glances you were both getting from the team. Once you calmed down, you looked around at everyone before catching Frigga’s eye. 

     “How are you feeling dear?” Frigga asked when she saw you. You smiled at her worry, like mother, like son. 

     “I am doing better” you told her. 

     “Sorry to interrupt Mr. Stark but Loki and Thor are on their way up” the AI told everyone. You all got ready, facing the elevator and waiting for the two Gods. The ping sounded and the doors opened up. Thor excitedly jumped out of the way to reveal a very confused Loki before everyone roared out;

     “Happy Birthday!”


	40. Chapter 40

     You lunged for Loki, grabbing the dagger out of his hand before it could be embedded in Thor’s side. Once the dagger was safely by your side, you grabbed his other hand and squeezed it gently.

     “Please do not stab your brother, it would dampen the party. Plus, this was all my doing” you told Loki. He produced another dagger, which you were quick to take away from him as well. 

     “But he is the one who told you about it” he growled, producing yet another dagger, you sighed, and took that one away too. You were disappearing them as you took each dagger from him, even though you should be taking a rest from magic. 

     “If you stab your brother, your mother would be ever so disappointed in you, my love” you told him. That took him off guard, so he halted his attempted assault and turned towards you. You smiled and looked over to where Frigga was waiting patiently. 

     “Mother!” Both gods yelled out in surprise. Thor rushed over to her and engulfed her in a hug. Loki looked at you, silently questioning why his mother was on Midgard but you simply smiled at him. He walked up to his mother and gave her a loving hug. 

     “It’s nice to see you again mother” Loki smiled, kissing her cheek. 

     “Alright, presents first! Reindeer Games come sit down!” Tony yelled out. Loki rolled his eyes but complied and sat down. He grabbed your hand and sat you down next to him, kissing your cheek and pulling you into his side. 

     “Thank you for bringing my mother, but we are going to talk about you going to Asgard later” Loki whispered in your ear. He sounded both thankful and angry, he wasn’t going to go easy on you later. 

     “Just enjoy her visit and then we’ll talk” you whispered back. He nodded as his mother sat down next to him, smiling at both of you. Once his eyes were taken off you, he noticed the presents in front of him. You weren’t sure what he had been expecting, but it wasn’t this, he didn’t seem to know what to do. The others noticed so Natasha got up and handed him one. 

     “This is from Bruce and I, we thought you might enjoy it” she explained. He took it from her and opened it carefully. Inside there was a pistol with bullets. You looked at her, confused by the present, as was Loki. “I know you have magic and you don’t need it, but you might find it enjoyable, and I will teach you!” She sounded awfully excited. 

     “Thank you” Loki said appreciatively. One by one, they handed his gifts, explaining what they were and why they got it for him. Most of them had been books, which Loki would enjoy reading regardless of the subject. There had been a few more weapons, which Loki would equally enjoy playing with. Finally, it came down to Bucky who was overly nervous, hoping Loki would like the gift. You smiled at him, encouragingly. 

     “I know it’s not much, but Thor’s friends said you use to like it when you were home on Asgard” Bucky passed it over. Between going to Asgard and babysitting the warriors, he hadn’t had time to wrap it. Loki took it carefully and looked over to you knowingly. 

     “This is perfect, thank you Bucky. We will share it one day soon, I hope” Loki smiled as Bucky nodded. You were glad they were getting along, instead of Loki simply glaring at Bucky most of the time. “And thank you, for accompanying my very stubborn Titan to Asgard, I am in your debt” Loki humbly told him while you dramatically rolled your eyes. 

     “I can take care of myself, you know” you told him. 

     “She definitely can, it was amazing Loki. You have never courted a better woman, we were-” Fandral began talking and you panicked and looked to Tony who was quick to interrupt. You did not need Loki knowing about the bar brawl or the fact that you had almost been arrested, it would certainly ruin his mood for the evening. 

     “Alright, presents are done, time to get this party started!” Music began blasting out of corner of the living room and balloons flooded the floor. You looked up, surprised by the sudden invasion of green and gold balloons, Tony had really done a lot with very little time. You let the gods converse with their mother as you went to get a drink. 

     “Everything looks amazing Tony, thank you so much!” You gushed over the music as he handed you a glass of liquor. You held it up and looked at it weirdly. “Is this Asgardian liquor?”

     “Don’t mention it, and yes, it is. I just want you to have fun!” He smiled, you still weren't used to him being so nice to you, but you weren’t going to complain. Nice Tony was positively better than grumpy Tony, the later had a tendency to shoot you. You finished your glass and put it down just as Tony handed you another one. 

     “Are you trying to get me drunk, Stark?” You laughed. He shrugged his shoulders as you took another drink. Once you sat your drink down, he opened the bottle and added more. 

     “Never seen a drunk Titan before, could be just what this party needs” he jokes, and you shake your head. 

     “I don’t think anyone wants that” you joke back. Tony downs his own glass, fills it up again before putting a little more liquor in yours and leaving to converse with the others. You lean on the bar and look around, Loki is engrossed in a conversation with his mother and looks like he is rather enjoying himself, you didn’t want to interrupt what little time they had together before she went back. Thor was speaking and laughing loudly with his friends, introducing them to the Avengers and telling all sorts of embarrassing stories, you definitely did not want to get in the middle of that. 

     The music was a little lower now, thanks to Natasha who walked by and turned it down. At least now you could hear yourself think. Balloons bounced by you making you feel like your vision was a little blurry, or maybe it was; you weren’t sure. All you knew was that you were tired, sleep would have been great, but you couldn’t leave the party now. You looked around the room again, trying to focus on something else. 

     Bucky and Steve were conversing in the corner, getting closer by the minute. Bucky noticed you peering at them, when you smirked at him he rolled his eyes. He told Steve something and then made his way over to you. 

     “Aw, did I interrupt something romantic” you teased. He grabbed your arm and dragged you to the opposite corner, away from everyone else. 

     “Can you please be quiet, you’re the only one who knows about us” he whispered angrily. Now it was your turn to roll your eyes with a laugh. 

     “Oh please, they won’t care” you told him. “And I told you, if they do, I will kick their asses”. Bucky watched you finished your glass of liquor, set it on the table and materialize yourself another. 

     “You really shouldn’t be using magic, you should be resting” Bucky scolded. You waved him off and took another large gulp. 

     “I did rest, I will be fine” you told him, even if you didn’t believe it, you sounded confident. You went to turn around and stumbled, before you could fall on your face, you felt Bucky’s metal hand around your waist. He propped you back up and kept a firm grip on you. 

     “Is she okay?” Steve rushed up to you. His worried eyes raked over you, looking for any signs of injury. When he didn’t find any, he looked to Bucky for an explanation. 

     “I think she’s drunk” Bucky guessed, albeit a little skeptically. Steve shook his head and peered over his shoulder, making sure Loki wasn’t noticing anything. 

     “That’s impossible, we’ve seen her drink much more and be just fine; she can’t be drunk already” Steve reasoned. 

     “Well she is exhausted. She was up early exercising, she, well, I can’t think of a better word than teleport us to Asgard, got into a brawl to escape Odin’s men and teleport six people back with her. I don’t know a lot about magic, but from what she's told me, it seems like a lot” Bucky advised. 

     “You two are worrying for nothing, I will be fine” you slur, trying to take another drink. Steve quickly grabs it away from you though and you whine at the lost. 

     “Can you sober her up somehow? Loki is going to kill us if he finds how exhausted she is” Steve stressed the last time. You were 90% of Loki’s impulse control and he did not want to test Loki’s limits. He also didn’t want to see what you were like drunk, considering that you could be thoroughly terrifying sober. 

     “I will try, probably not a good idea to have a drunk Titan running around” Bucky added and Steve agreed quickly. “Alright, come on (Y/N), we’re going to go to the kitchen and get a coffee” Bucky told you slowly while you simply glared at him. 

     “Great, I will distract Loki and hope he doesn't realize you two went off on your own” Steve took a deep breath, you could tell he was nervous. 

     “Relax, just tell him that Bucky has feelings for you, not me” you told Steve before you realized what came out of your mouth. Your eyes widened the same time Steve’s did, while a blush made its way up Bucky’s cheeks. 

     “Kitchen, now!” Bucky ordered, ushering you along. He rushed you into the kitchen glaring at you. You stumbled through the door and quickly turned around to Bucky. 

     “I am so sorry Bucky! I didn’t mean for that to come out!” You quickly apologized. Bucky’s glared softened before he sighed. 

     “It’s alright doll, he was bound to find out somehow” he stated. You still felt terrible for what you said, it didn’t help that your vision was blurry and all you wanted was to sleep. “Why did you drink so much?” Bucky asked as he was beginning to brew a pot of coffee. 

     “I thought I was fine, even Asgardian Liquor doesn’t hit me this quick” you mumbled, your head fell into your hands, rubbing your scalp. “I swear I haven’t felt this exhausted since escaping Olympus, you Avengers are a handful” you complained, and Bucky simply laughed.

      “I know, we’re a rambunctious group” Bucky joked as the coffee finished. He poured it in a cup and placed it in front of you. “Drink some of this and then some water” he said, placing a bottle of water in front of you as well. You nodded and took a large drink of the coffee, savoring the taste. 

     “Thank you, Bucky,” you said before taking a large drink of water, alternating the two. Bucky smiled and sat down next to you, rubbing your back. 

     “Good, just the two I was looking for” Loki’s voice was low and stern. Both you and Bucky jumped up, away from each other, and turning around. Loki’s arms were crossed, glaring at both of you. Steve rushed in, out of breath but realized that he had already been too late. 

     “Sorry guys, he got away” Steve explained sheepishly. 

     “So, what’s this I hear about you two starting a bar brawl in Asgard’s oldest tavern?” Loki asked. You winced, his voice echoing in your head. 

     “Not we, the brawl was her idea” Bucky pointed to you. You turned to him and glared before turning back to Loki.

     “Way to throw me under the bus Bucky” you huffed, annoyed before turning back to Loki. “I wouldn’t have had to start a brawl if Odin didn’t try to arrest me!” You defended yourself. Loki pinched the bridge of his nose. 

     “You could have been hurt” Loki said softly. “Odin could have captured you and given you to Zeus, you would have been lost to me” Loki’s voice was low and hurt. You tried to make your way to him but stumbled a little. Bucky reached out to steady you, but Loki was quicker. 

     "You could have been hurt too Bucky, you both should be more careful" Steve added and Loki nodded in agreement. 

     “I’m sorry, I just wanted you to have a good birthday, Loki” you mumbled as Loki helped you stand back on your feet. You rubbed your eyes and nuzzled into the crook of his neck, content in his arms. 

     “What’s wrong with her?” Loki asked. Steve and Bucky both looked like they had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. 

     “She may be a little drunk and low on magic” Bucky mumbled, shifting his weight uncomfortably under Loki’s glare. 

     “Why?” Loki’s voice rumbled, low and dangerous. You hit him lightly on the chest, getting his attention back on you. 

     “Don’t get mad at them, it was my idea to go to Asgard. I am the one who started the brawl, and because we couldn’t use the Bifrost, I used my magic to get everyone back here” you explained quickly. You didn’t have to explain any further, he knew the amount of magic it would have taken to get everyone from Asgard back to the Tower. 

     “You should be resting love, not drinking” Loki scolded as he picked you up. You were too tired to argue about it. “Bucky, thank you for watching out for her in Asgard, I greatly appreciate it. Please let everyone know we will not be returning to the party, I will see everyone in the morning” Loki told them. They both nodded and scurried out of the room. 

     “No, I can go rest on my own. You’re mother is here, you should be spending time with her” you complained. 

     “My mother and I will have breakfast in the morning. Besides, she is concerned about you as well and would berate me for not taking care of you” Loki laughed. You cuddled into his chest as his magic pulled at you. Soon, you felt a soft mattress underneath you. 

     “I’m sorry Loki, I wanted today to be perfect for you” you apologized, it was the only thing you could do since you knew he wouldn’t leave you to go back downstairs. Loki quickly hushed you. You felt his magic again, he dressed you in cozy pajamas as he tucked you in the bed. He got in shortly after, wrapping his arms around you. 

     “I appreciate everything you did for me today love, it is far more than I ever expected and more than I have ever gotten. This is a perfect way to end the evening, now please, get some rest and I will be right here when you wake” Loki kissed the top of your head and you drifted off into a deep slumber. 


	41. Chapter 41

     Your head pounded when you woke up the next morning. You groaned and rubbed your temples before turning around and cuddled into Loki.

     “How are you feeling?” His voice was a little hoarse and sleepy. You wanted to smile, you loved morning Loki; he was so carefree and less guarded than he was normally. But your head still pounded and that took your smile away pretty quickly.

     “I feel like my head is going to explode” you complained only to have Loki chuckle. He pulled you in closer and kissed the top of your head. You felt his magic mingle with your own and you knew instantly what he was doing.

     “You shouldn’t have used all that magic yesterday then, or let Stark get you drunk”, you resisted the urge to be sarcastic as he gave you bits his own power. “You’ll feel better soon, love” he promised. The pounding in your head was subsiding and you were finally able to open your eyes. Loki’s hair was messy but he looked down at you lovingly, so much so that you couldn’t help leaning up to kiss him.

     “Thank you for taking care of me, I hope I didn’t ruin your birthday,” you told him when you pulled away. He still held you tight but the magic began pulling away from you, now that you were feeling better.

     “Of course you didn’t ruin my birthday, silly Titan. You got my mother here and even though I am mad at you for putting yourself in danger, it was a wonderful gift” you smiled and accepted his words, trying not to feel bad about it anymore.

     “Speaking of your mother, we should get up and go find her for breakfast” you didn’t want to get out of bed, Loki didn’t look too happy about that either but both of you did. His mother wouldn’t be around that long today, so you wanted Loki to make the best of it. Not willing to get ready yourself, you looked up at Loki. “Help” was all you had to say in a whimpering voice.

     He stifled a laugh as you pajama’s changed into yoga pants and a tank top, something comfortable. Once Loki was changed, he held out a hand to you, which you took gratefully. Loki’s magic may have helped your headache and overall shitty feeling, but you were still tired. That would just take time, by the end of the day, you would be back to full strength.

     Loki kept his hand at the small of your back while you walked through the tower. You weren’t sure if it was because he was worried about your exhausted energy or just because he liked having his hands on you. Either way, you enjoyed the attention. You walked to the main floor, you weren’t sure what you were expecting but the mess definitely took you a little off guard.

     “What the hell happened here?” You asked. Some of the Avengers were still sleeping on the floor while Fandral was draped over the top of a chair turned on its side.

     “Looks like the party didn’t end when we went to sleep” Loki surmised. He left your side as you both walked around the mess the Avengers created. Natasha was asleep on one of the couches that had not been overturned with Clint right next to her on the floor.

     “Found the oaf!” You called out from the kitchen. Loki joined you in the kitchen to find Thor asleep underneath the kitchen table with a box of pop tarts. “We should wake him up before your mother sees him like this,” you told Loki who nodded before kicking his brother in the side a few times.

     “Wake up!” Loki yelled. It caused several people in the vicinity to wake up in a panic, including Thor who proceeded to hit his head and break the table. Loki couldn’t stop the chuckle from erupting out of his throat, you tried not to laugh with him.

      “Your mother will be up any minute, can you at least make yourself presentable?” You asked calmly. It took a while for Thor to register what you were saying, but once he did, he nodded his head and began walking to his room. You looked around again. “This place is a disaster” you sighed, moving your hands up to clean it.

     “No magic for you” Loki scolded, moving your hands back to your side. You rolled your eyes but let Loki use his magic to clean the common area. He even moved the Avengers that he didn’t manage to wake up to their rooms.

     “That’s quite a bit better” you smiled. Loki kissed your cheek just as he set the table with all sorts of breakfast foods imaginable, including all your favorites. You laughed and kissed him. “You spoil me, trickster”.

     “I will always spoil you” Loki smiled.

     “He isn’t lying, once Loki loves someone, he will give everything he has to that person” his mother’s voice took you by surprise and you jumped away from Loki out of habit. She laughed at this.

     “Hello mother, I did not see you there” Loki smiled, bringing his mother in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “We have breakfast ready if you would like to join us”.

     “Of course I would darling” he smiled as Loki pulled out the chair for her. You took the seat opposite of Loki, excited to let them have their time together. You took a few bits of food from the table as you listened to their conversation. They spoke of Asgard, the magic council but you noticed they stayed clear of one subject, Odin. You didn’t blame them, even just mentioning him seemed to put Loki it a foul mood.

     “Mother!” Thor’s voice echoed through the kitchen. You winced as he did this, after all this time, you weren’t sure why his loud voice still surprised you. Frigga smiled and got up to give her other son a hug and kiss on the cheek before Thor took a spot next to you. Slowly but surely, the tower became to come to life as the Avengers began waking up.

     You watched as they all made their way into the kitchen, grabbing something to eat and speaking with Frigga and sitting down at the table. Even the warriors were up now and found their way to the kitchens. Everyone was around, well everyone but Stark. You began to contemplate just where he could be, and, as if he knew you were thinking of him, the sound of a small explosion came from under the kitchen.

     The others were on their feet immediately, expecting a threat but the explosions came from underneath you, which gave you a good indication that it was from the labs.

     “I got this, everyone should stay and enjoy breakfast” you yelled over them before disappearing from the table. You appeared in the labs in a puff of smoke, causing you to cough. You could hear Tony muttering a few curses. “What the hell did you do Stark?” You asked before using your magic to clear the room. You knew Loki didn’t want you using your magic, but you hoped he wouldn’t be too angry with you.

     “I don’t know, I was just doing some routine maintenance and everything went up in smoke!” Tony yelled back at you, his hands being thrown up in the air. You took a look at maintenance he was speaking of, and you knew instantly what happened.

     “You put the wrong wires back in and short-circuited the main system for our air conditioning, great job,” you said sarcastically. You could see Tony’s face fall as he rubbed his eyes. It was going to take a while to fix but there was nothing to be done now. “Have you gotten any sleep last night?” You asked, he looked positively terrible.

     “I did,” Tony told you. You gave him a stern look. “Alright, I got maybe an hour” Tony gave in. You sighed and went to touch his head but he jerked away from you.

     “Will you just trust me?” You roared, trying not to lose your patience with him. He stared at you like he wanted to argue but you were no longer in the mood. You touched his forehead and he was instantly asleep. You caught him before he fell and threw him over your shoulder. You were walking him back up to his room when you came across Thor, Frigga, Loki, and the warriors. You watched as Loki’s tried not to smirk but failed expertly.

     “You didn’t kill him, did you?” Thor asked, a little weary.

     “Of course not, the idiot was trying to do repairs on an hour’s sleep. Now we have no air conditioning so it’s going to get very hot, very quickly in here. I am putting Stark to bed, and then going to work on it myself” you told them.

     “Mother is going back to Asgard, can you spare a moment to say goodbye outside?” Loki asked and you smiled.

     “Of course, let me put this fool to bed and I will be right there”.

 ***

     After getting Tony in his bed, you were starting to notice the heat. All the equipment downstairs needed the AC to keep the building cool. Running outside to meet with Loki and the others, you were met with some relief from the oncoming heat.

     “Sorry to keep you waiting,” you told them as you made your way to Loki. Frigga smiled and grabbed your hand.

     “Nonsense, I wish I could have stayed longer,” she told you. “Thank you for coming to get me, it was very sweet of you” Loki smiled and kissed your temple.

     “It was no trouble, I just wanted Loki to have a good birthday,” you told her honestly.

     “Loki, may I speak with your beloved alone for a moment?” Both you and Loki shared a confused glance.

     “Of course mother, I will wait for you with the others” Loki spoke cautiously. He didn’t want to move away from you, you could tell by his lingering hands on you and his gaze that was reluctant to leave yours. Once Loki was with Thor and the warriors, Frigga turned to you, her expression more serious.

     “It’s not safe for you in Asgard, my dear. Odin has made a deal with Zeus that if you step foot on Asgard again, you will be arrested and taken into custody to await Zeus” she whispered her warning, carefully glancing back at her sons.

     “I understand,” you told her. You expected nothing less from Odin, it wouldn’t do any good to go to war over you with Olympus.

     “Be careful, and please take care of my sons for me; mother to mother”, she asked and you smiled and nodded.

     “Of course, please have a safe trip back. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask” you offered her. She nodded and hesitated for a moment before bringing you in for a hug.

     “Loki will protect you with his life” she whispered. You broke away from her, trying to hide the sadness from your voice.

     “I won’t let it come to that,” you told her. She nodded sadly, but you were already walking towards the others. You watched as they all said goodbye, Loki trying to avoid hugging the warriors as Thor did. Once the Bifrost was called, it was only seconds before they disappeared into it and the three of you were left. You kissed Loki once they were gone. “Well, I need to go get Clint and fix the AC, I will meet up with you guys later”

 ***

     “Can you see the wires?” You called out, one of Tony’s tablets in your hand. You moved through it, watching where Clint was going.

     “Give me a moment, it’s hot and very restricting in here” Clint complained through your earpiece. You rolled your eyes but continued to work on your end. Once Clint fixed the wires from the vents, then everything should be back up and running.

     You had changed into a sheer, Olympian dress, it had been too hot to stay in anything else. While you had heard from Thor that Loki was trying to stay cool in the large walk-in freezer. You hoped to fix this soon, for your own sanity, but mostly for Loki’s safety and health.

     “I think I got it!” Clint’s voice took you out of your own thoughts.

     “Great! Once it’s changed, let me know” you told him. You finished the work on your end, only having to turn the machine back on now once Clint was done.

     “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Tony’s angry voice caused you to sigh. You were hoping he would have slept a little longer.

     “Fixing your mistake, Stark, before everyone melts,” you told him angrily.

     “Done and out, turn it back on!” Clint’s voice echoed through the earpiece. You smiled and flicked the switch to hear the familiar humming of the air conditioner. Tony’s face softened as he rubbed his neck.

     “Thank you, I guess” he muttered. You rolled your eyes but said nothing, accepting his words instead of picking him apart.

     “Guys, I need everyone in the living room, we have a visitor” Steve’s voice came over the intercom system. Your heart dropped into your stomach, you were instantly nervous that Zeus had dropped another creature at your doorstep. You followed Tony out of the labs quickly, running behind him as you both made your way to the living room.

     Once there, you stopped dead in your tracks at the man the Avengers were surrounding. Loki noticed your look of panic and confusion as he tried to make his way over to you.

     “Hello Asteria, nice to see you again” he smiled and Loki glared at the unknown man, ready to defend you. Instead, you moved in front of him and towards the man, with a hesitation, thinking he may not be real.

     “Prometheus?”


	42. Chapter 42

     “Looking wonderful as ever Asteria”, Prometheus smiled. He was dressed in a Midgardian suit that made him look much more handsome than the last time you had seen him. You could feel Loki’s eyes blatantly staring between you and the other Titan. 

     “Zeus killed you”, it was a statement, not a question. Now that you were thinking about it though, you hadn’t been there and no one had seen a body. Prometheus chuckled slightly, moving closer to you and causing the Avengers to tense up. 

     “Zeus lies” was all he said about it. 

     “Should we be fighting?” Clint whispered over to you. You were about to respond when Prometheus chuckled once more. 

     “No need to fret Avengers, I come in peace to simply visit an old friend” he smiled and his eyes lit up when they reached you again. 

     “I’m still too hung over for this” Tony said, pinching the bridge of his nose before heading back out of the living room. 

     “Where are you going Tony?” Steve asked before he got too far. 

     “To install anti-Titan security systems!” Tony yelled out, still cranky even though you had forced him to get some sleep. He started to head out again when you heard Steve sigh. 

    “Remember, buddy system!” Steve called out, he didn’t want anyone to be alone, especially since it was clear now that any Titan or God could simply drop by. 

     “I’ll go with him” Bruce offered, heading out quickly after Tony. Everyone turned back around to Prometheus who had been watching the exchange with amusement. Then eyes turned to you, looking for instruction on what to do. Your mind still hadn’t caught up with the fact that your oldest friend was still alive, let alone what to do about it. 

     “It’s okay guys, he isn’t a threat to us” you told them. The Avengers didn’t believe it, that much was clear, but they relaxed their stances anyway.

     “We should talk” he offered and you sighed.

     “Yes, I think we should” you agreed. You looked to Loki and gave him a smile of reassurance, he didn’t offer one back. “We can use the conference room on level 3, it’s usually empty”, you motioned for Prometheus to follow before disappearing. The Avengers let out a collected sigh once you were both out of the room, but Loki seethed in anger. 

     “I don’t want her to be alone with him” he spoke aloud, to no one in particular. Bucky moved closer to him, trying to comfort the God, but he wasn’t sure how. 

     “She won’t be, that conference room has a monitoring system that we can turn on from any computer, she chose it for that reason” Natasha smirked. “Jarvis, can you play the feed for the conference room on level 3?” The AI complied and there was a live feed coming through the TV, which the Avengers soon gathered around. 

    “What are you doing here Theus?” You asked, your arms crossed while you sat on the table. Prometheus had taken a seat in one of the chairs, making himself comfortable. 

    “I haven’t heard that nickname since we were kids” he smiled. You wouldn’t allow yourself to smile yet, there was still too much you didn’t know to let your guard down. “I heard you were on earth and working for the Avengers, I had to come here for myself” he paused for a moment. “After I left, I thought for sure that Zeus would track you down, but to find out he didn’t” he stopped, unsure of what to say. 

     You weren’t sure what to say anything, he looked so sad but you weren’t sure why. The desire to reach out and comfort your friend was strong, but you resisted. Partly because you still couldn’t trust him, but mostly because you knew Loki would be watching. You didn’t want to give Loki an excuse to burst into the room to try and ‘save’ you. 

     “I didn’t see Hecate, is she?” 

     “No, gods no!” You interrupted him. “She is alive and safe but I couldn’t keep her with me. It was only a matter of time before Zeus found me again and it’s better to keep her out of the line of fire” you told him. This seemed to brighten him up. 

     “Good, I was worried when I didn’t see her. I’m glad you both got out alive and I am here to help with whatever you need” he offered. 

     “Why should I trust you? You betrayed the Titans in the battle against Zeus, then you try and make up for it by sneaking me out of Olympus and apparently letting me believe you died during the escape. Do you know how long I mourned your death?” You were getting angry now, emotions you had long forgotten about were being brought up again. Prometheus was getting angry now too, he got up from his chair and slammed his hands on the table, but you didn’t budge. 

     “I have apologized time and time again for my part in that fight but believe me, I stayed dead to you because I thought it would be best for all of us. If I had gone looking for you, it could have tipped off Zeus that we were both still alive, and I couldn’t live with myself if you or Hecate got hurt.” You sighed, getting mad at him wasn’t going to do anything. 

     “You still haven’t told me how you survived Zeus”, you weren’t going to let him get away with not telling you. He sighed and sack back into his chair. 

     “After I told you to run, I managed to stay in the fight long enough for you to get away but that damn thunderbolt hit me and I was down. I couldn’t do anything or move and Zeus thought me dead. He threw my body off the mountain, in hopes of still being able to pursue you, I assume, and I landed in the ocean. I thought I was dead but one of the Oceanids found me and took me to Oceanus; he healed me”. 

     You took in that information, along with everything else he had told you. It added up, and was plausible. Besides, there was no lie in any of his story that you could spot. 

     “So what is it that you want?” You asked, unsure of what his plans were. Prometheus leaned closer to you, his hand dangerously close to your thigh. So much so you almost held your breath, waiting for an irrationally angry God to burst through the door, but nothing came. You weren’t sure what worried you the most, Loki’s anger or no reaction at all. 

     “I want to help, you and I can defeat Zeus together” he practically whispered. You couldn’t deny that having another Titan on your side would beneficial to surviving this upcoming fight. It would definitely cause you to worry less about the team. 

     “I will talk it over with the Avengers”, his eyes narrowed at this. 

     “We don’t need the Avengers, they aren’t strong enough anyway” Prometheus got up, standing closer to you now. “When I said together, I meant you and me; just like old times. Why do you want to involve them in this anyway? They're just going to get hurt” he spoke very clearly, ensuring that there was no misunderstanding him. 

     “That’s none of your business, Prometheus. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have responsibilities to attend to. You are more than welcome to stay in a guest room for now, down the hall” you told him. The whole third floor was monitored, mostly because this is where business took place and more people had access to this floor than the higher levels. 

     Prometheus starred at you're for a moment, wondering if you were joking. When no smile was cracked and no laugh broke the silence, he knew you were being serious. 

     “Fine” he said before heading towards the door. When threw it opened, breaking it off the hinges and headed down the hall. You had almost forgotten how fiery his temper could be. You signed and appeared in the living room to everyone still around the television. 

     “So I assume you all heard everything?” You spoke, making a few of the Avengers jump and turn around. The others simply nodded while Loki was giving you a look you couldn’t quite place. 

     “Yes, are you alright doll?” Bucky asked. Truth be told, you weren’t sure you were really processing this whole situation. 

     “I think so; we need to figure out what to do with him” you told them. You took a seat on the couch, hands rubbing your temples to try and soothe your building headache. Loki usually came over to help with this, but when you didn’t feel his arms wrap around you, you looked up and saw that he had already taken a seat on one of the chairs. 

     “We should decide this as a team but first we need some information” Steve began as everyone but Bruce and Tony, who were still off on their own, took a seat. “First off, can we trust him?”

     “I don’t know. He betrayed the Titans in our fight against Zeus, but he did help me escape Olympus and it didn’t seem like he was lying”, you looked over to Loki to see if he agreed. So did the others, if anyone could tell that Prometheus was being dishonest, it was your resident lie detector. Loki sighed and sank into the chair, thinking it over. 

     “He wasn’t lying” he eventually told you and you nodded. 

     “Okay, so the trust is a little weary. How much help could he really be in the fight against Zeus?” Steve asked next. 

     “He’s powerful and probably right, between the two of us, we may have enough power to defeat him but I can’t say for sure” you told him. 

     “But he could help train the rest of us?” Natasha interjected. “No offense, you have been doing great but there is a lot of us and only one of you” she added. 

     “You’re right, I can’t get everything done myself. Hell, I haven't even started teaching you about all the creatures we may be up against, Steve and I talked about started that months ago.” You were now beginning to feel like a failure, but you pushed that to the side. “We use to train a lot together, he is a good teacher” you added. 

     “Alright, so we vote, who wants to give him a chance?” Everyone but Loki raised their hands, and with that it was unanimous. “Okay, just remember to be cautious, no one goes anywhere alone and Prometheus does not count in that. Until we know for sure that we can really trust him, I want everyone’s guards up around him, understood?” Steve asked and the team nodded. “Alright, everyone get some rest, it’s getting late. (Y/N) and I will go speak with Prometheus” Steve finished. 

     You got up to head over to Loki however once you got close, he took off in the opposite direction. He didn’t even spare you a look and you felt your heart sink. 

     “Loki!” You called out, but it didn’t deter him from leaving the living room without anyone else. You sighed, unsure if you should follow him or not. 

     “I will check on him Asteria” Thor told you, putting a reassuring hand on your shoulder. You leaned into it, a sad smile on your face. 

     “Thanks Thor, please tell him that I’m sorry for whatever it is I did” you asked and Thor nodded. 

     “I will, however I have a feeling that his mood has very little to do with you” Thor smiled and took off towards him brother. Thor ran quickly behind him brother, only stopping once he got into pace with him. Loki seemed determined not to stop, despite the intruder. 

     “I do not want to talk about it, brother” Loki spat. Thor, being use to this type of response, grabbed him gently by the shoulder to stop him. 

     “You know she loves you” Thor spoke before Loki could materialize a dagger and stab him with it. At the mere mention of you, his angry demeanor softened and he let out a sigh. 

     “I know” he responded. 

     “Then why are you treating her like you hate her?” Thor kept a soft look of empathy in his eyes and a firm hand on Loki, as if that action alone could ground him. 

     “I fooled myself into thinking I knew her, ignorance is bliss, I suppose” Loki let out another sad sight before continuing. “With that Titan being here, I can’t help but feel like I don’t know her at all. She never told him about it, about escaping Olympus, or even anything about her daughter. I understand why I can’t meet her, but I know literally nothing about her.” Loki noticed that it felt good to say this out loud, his anger dissipating a little. 

     “Maybe try talking to her before pushing her away, it might help both of you” Thor offered. Loki was a little surprised that his brother was able to give him any emotional advice but nodded none the less.

     “Thanks brother, you may go now” Loki tried to dismiss him but Thor smile only grew larger. 

     “Oh no, remember brother, the Captain has what he likes to call ‘a buddy system’ in place. When your lovely lady gets back, I can leave you then” he spoke while Loki’s anger returned. He rolled his eyes and began walking away with Thor on his heels. 

     Back in the living room, you waited a moment before heading over to Steve and grabbing his shoulder. In an instant, you were on the third floor in front of Prometheus’ room. 

     “Jeeze, warn a fella before you do that!” Steve cried. 

     “Sorry” you apologized quickly, you hadn’t meant to scare him. He took a few deep breaths before gently knocking on the door. Prometheus angrily opened the door, his eyes softening only slightly when he realized you were with Captain America. 

     “We decided that you can stay but only if you agree to help train the team. Help them get ready to face Zeus” you told him, not wasting any time of fake pleasantries. You could see that he wanted to argue. 

     “And this is the only way you will agree to my help?” He asked and you nodded your head without wasting a second. “Fine then, I accept” he told you. 

     “Will these quarters be sufficient for you?” Steve asked. Prometheus took a brief look around the room behind him. 

     “I don’t see why not”, he shrugged and Steve nodded. 

     “Good, then we will begin planning a schedule in the morning. Until then, I think everyone needs their rest. I hope you sleep well” Steve offered and began walking back down the hall until he noticed you weren’t following. Steve waited while you pointed an angry finger at Prometheus, giving him your best intimidating look to give him his first and only warning. 

     “Do not make me regret this”. 


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is short, I swear I am trying to write more but just been having writers block; I know what I want to do, just can't seem to write it. If anyone has any ideas to help, please let me know, I'm desperate!

     “I swear to every god in the nine realms Thor, if you do not leave me alone, I will rip you to shreds!” Loki hissed out before you were able to open the door. So it looked like their conversations had gone well. You took a long breath in and opened the door, only to find Thor laughing on the ground like an idiot. 

     “Get out Thor” you told him sternly. Thor shot up from the ground and left quickly, not wanting to deal with both Loki and yourself. Once he was out of the door, you slammed it behind him and crossed your arms, glaring at Loki. “Care to explain your little attitude problem?” 

     “I don’t trust Prometheus” Loki spat, still very angry. 

     “Good, you shouldn’t trust him”. Loki was about to angrily retort when his brain finally seemed to catch on to your response. 

     “What?” He asked and you couldn’t help but smile, he looks adorable when he was confused. You huffed and took a seat on the bed, Loki gingerly followed you and sat down as well. 

     “I don’t even know if I trust him, so much time has passed since I last saw him” you offered. Your feelings and thoughts were still conflicting, so you tried as best you could to explain it. “I don’t doubt his story but I get the odd sense that he hasn’t told us everything; so maybe it's a good think that someone keeps an eye on him” you told Loki who was smirking. 

     “So your telling me to spy on your old friend”, you couldn’t help but laugh. 

     “Try not to look so happy about it, Loki”. You paused for a moment, letting your brain think during the silence. “So, you want to tell me what else that attitude was about?” Loki gave you a confused look. “Give me some credit, there are a lot of people you don’t trust and I’ve never seen you react that way with any of them” you clarified. 

     “Well” Loki tried to start but let his word hang, unsure of what to say. You smiled and then let out a laugh. 

     “Is the God of Lies and Mischief jealous?” You teased and Loki rolled his eyes. 

     “I wouldn't say jealous” Loki tried. 

     “No? What would you call it then?” Loki huffed when he didn’t have an answer and settled for pushing you back on the bed, settling himself between your thighs. You smiled and reached up to kiss him, letting him deepen it until he pulled away breathlessly. 

     “Fine, I’m jealous” he admitted. You reached up and placed both hands on either side of his face. 

     “You have nothing to be jealous of Trickster, I love you” you told him with as much certainty as you could possible muster. 

     “I know, I love you too. He just knows so much more about you than I do” Loki explained and you could understand that. Before you could respond, he cut you off, “and it doesn’t help that he is madly in love with you”. It was your turn to be confused now and Loki let you sit up once more. 

     “What are you talking about? We were friends” you told him. Loki scoffed and rolled his eyes, causing you to hit him on the shoulder. “I mean it Loki, we were just friends” you told him a little more firmly. 

     “Maybe for you, but it’s obvious. The way he looks at you, he is definitely head over heels for you. Why do you think he wanted to get you away from here, from all these heroes that could steal you away from him” Loki explained. 

     “I didn’t fall for the hero” you quipped and Loki smirked as he jumped up from the bed. He hauled you to your feet as well. “Won’t that be a lovely surprise for him”, Loki laughed before a knock on the door interrupted you. 

     “Sorry to bother you, but we have a problem that needs both your attention” Wanda told you. You and Loki both sighed and followed her out of the door. The closer you got the living room, the louder things got and you knew instantly that a fight had broken out. 

     Once you were in the living room, you could clearly tell Prometheus and Thor were engaged in a rather heated fight. You looked to Loki. 

     “I got my brother, you get the other” he mumbled and you nodded. You waited for Loki to grab Thor’s arm to stop him from hitting Prometheus with Mjolnir as you tackled Prometheus to the floor. You wrestled him for a moment before slapping him in the face. 

     “What the hell is wrong with you Prometheus, I told you to behave!” You yelled out, finally getting his full attention. 

     “The God started it” he growled out. You rolled your eyes and got back on your feet to turn to Thor who was now looking sheepishly down at the floor. 

     “Thor? Care to explain?” Loki prompted. 

     “He insulted our honor brother” Thor told him and Loki huffed out, people did that all the time to him but he didn’t get himself into a fight each and every time. 

     “Seriously Prometheus” you glared back at the Titan. “Behaving also means being nice to other people who are on the same team! I shouldn’t have to tell you that!” You scolded him. Prometheus mumbled something and pushed his way past you. Your nostrils flared and you glared at the back of his head, ready to start another fight. 

     “Can I please have Mjolnir  back so I can pummel some sense into that níðingr?” Thor huffed out. 

     “Behave yourself brother, I think our Titan can handle him” Loki paused for a moment before looking down at Mjolnir in fright. 

     “I thought Reindeer Games couldn't pick up the fancy hammer, only Thor? And well (Y/N) too I suppose” Tony asked. You backed up and took a look for yourself, forgetting all about Prometheus for a moment. Loki’s hand was gripped around Mjolnir’s handle, keeping it off the ground like it weighed as much as a feather. 

     “I can’t” Loki managed to spit out. Thor’s booming laughter vibrated the walls as he pat his brother on the back. 

     “I always knew you were worthy brother, this is excellent news! We must celebrate!” Thor cried out. 

     “Any reason to drink is fine by me, let’s celebrate!” Tony called out. There were cheers all around as everyone patted Loki on the back before going to the bar for celebratory shots. You laughed at Loki’s still stunned impression, hammy still in his hands. You gripped the handle and took it away from him, setting it on the ground by his feet before wrapping your arms around his neck. 

     “Maybe I did fall for the hero after all” you smirked. Loki laughed and wrapped his arms tightly around your waist. 

     “Don’t even joke about that or I will have to prove just how much of a hero I am not” Loki teased before kissing you. You deepened the kiss, savoring the few moments you and Loki had all to yourself because soon it was interrupted once more, this time by Tony. 

     “Come on love birds, we’re doing shots!”


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy and I hope it makes sense. I wrote this last night while I couldn't sleep so I was a little tired and out of it.

     You giggled as you walked into the living room, Loki’s hands gripping your waist and trying to pull you back into him. He had been like this all morning, barely able to be even mere inches away from you; not that you were complaining. 

     “Let’s get something to eat quickly so we can go back up to bed” Loki mischievously whispered in your ear before lightly nibbling on your earlobe. 

     “You are insatiable, Trickster” you smirked as you tried to get out of his grips once more. He wasn’t going to let you go that easily though. 

     “Ugh, can you two not be so adorable. It’s making me want to vomit”. Tony’s voice filled your ears before you actually seen him. Following the voice, you found Iron Man huddled around a potted plant that he had obviously been using as a trash can. His shirt was on backwards and sunglasses were lopsided on his face. 

     “Look who survived the night, Loki! You owe me breakfast in bed”. Loki scoffed and rolled his eyes. 

     “He drank so much that he should have died, the man is a cockroach” Loki complained, he never liked loosing. 

     “Love you too Reindeer Games” Tony mumbled out. Loki glared at him but said nothing, opting to turn away and head into the kitchen where a few other Avengers were staring into their coffee mugs, hangovers evident. 

     “Come on, let’s get you to bed Stark” you sighed, reaching your hand out for his. He mumbled, but complained, grasping your hand tightly as you hauled him to his feet. You gripped his waist as you put his other hand across your shoulders, helping to keep him upright. 

     You were able to maneuver Tony pretty well throughout the halls, not once having to threaten to throw him over your shoulder. You assumed maybe he was too tired or too hungover to argue with you, either way, you were going to enjoy quiet Tony for as long as you could. 

     You got to the door of his bedroom and managed to open it without dropping Tony. Even though you did not bother to flick on the lights, you found his bed fairly easy and managed to drop him on it. You ensured his feet on the bed before covering him in the blanket. With a wave of your hand, a bucket formed in front of the bed. 

     “If you get sick Stark, there is a bucket by the bed, do not throw up on the floor” you warned him. The cleaning company he tended to hire was already at their wits end with him. He mumbled something and nodded, turning around and hugging his pillow. Just like that, he was back in a deep sleep. You shook your head but smiled and headed quietly for the door. 

     “Why do you take care of him?” Prometheus asked once the door was shut. You hadn’t seen him there, but regardless you weren’t startled, just annoyed. 

     “It’s what teammates do” you told him, trying to soothe your own anger with him. You weren’t sure why you were so angry with him this morning, maybe it was because you didn’t get to yell at him yesterday for starting a fight with Thor. 

     “He doesn’t even like you, even I can see that” Prometheus added, seemingly unaware of your building temper. 

     “I’d like to think I’m growing on him” you smiled, trying to quell the need to punch some sense into Prometheus. 

     “You’re wasting your time with these Avengers” he spat out the last word like it was acid on his tongue. “All they are going to do is get themselves killed and probably get you killed” he added. 

     “What would you prefer I do then? I can’t take on Zeus myself, he has an army, the God’s and even some Titans at his disposal; I need the help” you told him, stopping in the hallway. You crossed your arms, fingers digging into the flesh on your biceps. 

     “I told you already, we can take him together”, and you rolled your eyes. 

     “Please, we barely got away the last time” you spat. Prometheus huffed, he didn’t like that being pointed out. 

     “We should just leave, anywhere else would be safer than here” he whispered. You weren’t sure why the sudden tone change until Steve stopped in front of you. 

     “We have a problem”, his tone was grave, which meant people had already died. Your battle suit, that Steve insisted you wear during all altercations so people recognized you as an Avenger, shimmered into place. He turned and you kept your pace in stride with him, not caring to look back and see if Prometheus was following. 

     “Where and what?” 

     “Reports of ships going down in the Atlantic ocean. Fury managed to get a drone over the sights and sent us the footage right away, it looks like it may be another present from Zeus” Steve warned as you walked into the living room. Most of the team was already there, huddled around the television as the footage played. 

     “Fuck”, you cursed, causing everyone to turn to you. “Charybdis” you told him, not that naming the beast meant much to them. 

     “How do we kill it?” Clint asked, he was already in his battle suit and was fixing his bow on the couch. 

     “I have no idea” you told them truthfully. “I honestly thought the monster was already dead, no one had heard tell of it in the centuries before I left” you added, unsure of how to proceed. 

     “We'll figure it out and someone go wake up Tony, we’re going to need him. We leave in ten!” Steve barked the order and everyone dispersed, leaving you alone with Loki and Prometheus. 

     “You know the stories as well as I do Ria” the caring tone and old nickname that Prometheus was using made you flinch. Loki noticed as well and moved closer, ready to jump into protect you if you needed it. 

     “So we should just let it keep killing people?” You snapped at him, your anger at not being able to give Steve an answer was now being directed at him once more. 

     “That's the definition of mortals, they die by the thousands all the time, no reason you should die trying to save a few”. You saw red, but before you could beat Prometheus to a pulp, Loki’s hand grabbed yours tightly. 

     “We need to be on the jet” was all he said before pulling you along. You following willingly, you weren’t use to Loki being the voice of reason and it threw you off guard. Neither of you said anything, Loki’s battle armor shimmered into place as he used his magic to bring you both onto the roof. 

     You boarded the jet with Loki, who sat you down in a small quiet corner. He sat down in front of you, his hands gently resting on your knees as he looked into your eyes. He smiled at you briefly, he wanted to kiss you, you could tell, but now wasn’t the time. Loki was in battle mode, it was the only time he wasn’t overly affectionate with you. 

     “Think Titan, you can find a way to win this, you just need to think” Loki told you. You smiled sadly, your brain didn’t seem to want to cooperate at the moment, nothing was coming to mind. Loki’s hand rubbed your knee. “How did the beast get here, can we send it back?” Loki was trying to spring a solution to your mind. 

     “We could open a portal, that must be how Zeus is sending them through” you told him, although the doubt in your voice told him that may not be a viable option. 

     “That much power will kill you” Prometheus was leaning against the interior of the jet across from you. You hadn’t noticed him once again, and you worried you were losing your touch. Prometheus was glaring, but it wasn’t at you or Loki, you followed his stare to Loki’s hands on your knees. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes at him, instead you focused back on Loki. 

     “If Zeus did it, then so can she” Loki replied adamantly. 

     “Zeus has the whole of Olympus to drain power from, if she uses that much power to send a monster the size of one of your mountains through, she will drain herself and die” Prometheus reiterated. 

     “She can use my power as she needs it”.

     “Great, then you’ll die too” Prometheus spat. 

     “If you’re not going to be helpful then shut up” Tony spat from a different corner. The rest of the team were listening in as the jet took off. Loki turned back to you, ignoring the other angry Titan in favor of helping you find a solution. 

     “What else do you know of the beast?” Loki asked. You sifted through you mind, way back to your times of Olympus, trying to find anything that could help. The beast hadn’t always been there, where did it come from? 

     “She wasn’t always a sea monster” you mumbled, only loud enough that Loki could hear. He gave you a questioning look, waiting for you to elaborate. “I remember now, it was so long ago that I had almost forgotten. Zeus was mad at Poseidon, there was a fight and Poseidon’s daughter had helped flood a bunch Zeus' land. Zeus punished her, he turned her into that monster” you recalled the tale now. The fighting had been between brothers, the Titans had not gotten involved in that one, their numbers already decimated from early fights. 

     “How does that help us?” Loki kept his voice low as well, if you were whispering, there may have been a reason that you didn’t want the others to hear. In reality, you didn’t care if the team knew, it was Prometheus you were being cautious around. His motives still didn't seem right, not in your mind at least.  

     “We can turn her back. The magic needed is easy enough, I just won’t be able to break concentration and unfortunately, it’s going to a large explosion. We would need to evacuate the ships in the area that haven’t gone down yet and unsure that the water doesn’t flood the cities on the coast” you didn’t have a solution for that one. 

     “Easily done, my love” Loki smiled and suddenly jumped to his feet. You smiled and shook your head at his excitement. “We have a plan!” Loki announced loudly, making most of the team wince, they did after all still have hangovers to deal with as well. 

     “Great, so what do we do?” Steve asked. 

     “Asteria will work on fixing the monster and while she does, she cannot be distracted. Brother, I trust that you can guard her?” Loki asked, as much as he was annoyed with his brother most days, he wouldn’t trust anyone else to watch you while he was busy. 

     “Of course, I will guard her with my life”, you faintly heard a huff from Prometheus and a curse but you decided to ignore it. Loki’s excitement was contagious and you found yourself ready to save Charybdis, regardless of the many obstacles. 

     “When she is done, there will be a large explosion. Scarlet Witch and I will use our powers to keep the water contained and slowly settle it back down, that way we avoid flooding coastal areas” Loki looked to Wanda who nodded in agreement. “The rest of you will need to work quickly to get the ships evacuated, if there’s any left. It will need to be done before Asteria completes the magic needed to fix the beast” Loki ordered and the others nodded. None of them seemed to be even a little concerned that Loki was now giving the orders to a mission, they simply went to work as you neared the battle site. 

     Once there, the team went to work quickly with the exception of Prometheus who grumbled about being told what to do by a god. Still, he did what he was supposed to and went to work helping the people off the boat and onto a second jet that Steve had called for from Fury. Loki stayed on the jet with Clint who was piloting, Wanda used to magic to keep her in the air on the opposite side of Loki. You smirked at Loki before jumping off the jet and diving into the water. 

     “Wait for me!” Thor yelled out before following you into the water. You rolled your eyes as you noticed him plunging into the water next to you, it would be too soon before he would need to break for air. You grabbed his hand and your magic surrounded both of you, allowing him to breath in the bubble provided. “Thank you”, he breathed a sigh of relief. 

     “No problem, just make sure you watch my back. If I’m interrupted, this could go horribly wrong” you told him.

     You went to work quickly, magic would keep you alive under the water for a while, long enough to do what needed to be done. From where you landed, you could easily see the beast was getting ready to inhale another load of water. It was cause a whirlpool that would inhale most of the team, you had to do it now before it was too late. 

     You reached up your hands and a white light emitted from them. The light engulfed the creature and you could only watch as it struggled to break free. You pushed more of your energy into your magic, your power working quickly to undo Zeus’ magic. A sudden burst of energy erupted, sending you and Thor further down into the ocean as your oxygen bubble stopped working. 

     Thor grabbed you quickly, not waiting to see if you could swim on your own and held Mjolnir in the air. Before you knew it, you were flying through the ocean and bursting out into the air. Unfortunately, Thor had not planned on where you would land, so you plummeted back into the ocean, but at least now you could breath. 

     “Where is she?” You called out to anyone around you. No one answered you but a rope fell down between you and Thor. Looking up you could see Steve grinning down at you, motioning for you to take the rope, so you did. 

     Once on the jet you could see Loki holding a fair looking woman, she was still wet and covered in a blanket that you assumed Loki produced for her. You crawled over, not bothering to get back onto your feet and checked her pulse. She was alive. You breathed a sigh of relief as you looked up at Loki. 

     “Thank you”. Loki smiled down at you, the body in his lap stopped him from being able to reach out for you. 

     “Don’t thank me, you’re the one who saved her”. 


	45. Chapter 45

     You and Loki would check on  Charybdis throughout the day, each of you taking turns to ensure that she was alright. She slept most of the time, only waking up long enough to ask where she was and what happened. She didn’t recognise you the first time, but after the fourth time you told her your name, she started to remember. 

     Now she was sleeping once again, letting her body heal from the whole ordeal. Bruce had hooked her up to different IV’s, ensuring that she would  get the nutrients her body needed. She was already so tiny and frail, you didn’t want her to lose any more weight. Bruce checked on her every day and you were very thankful for it, you wanted her to heal. 

     “She’ll be fine. You did your job, now you have to let her body and mind heal” Loki’s voice took you out of your own thoughts and back to the present. The coffee in your mug had gone cold  while you were staring at it, being left untouched for an hour or more. You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose as if that would stop the headache that was building behind your eyes. 

     “I know, I just worry; she was so young when Zeus turned her into that thing” you told him. He nodded, his hand going to your back to rub soothing circles. “What if her mind never heals from the experience?” You leaned into him, enjoying the coolness of his skin against your flushed body. 

     “We just need to keep hoping she does” Loki whispered, you could hear the uneasiness in his voice. “Why don’t I go check on her while you eat something?” Loki asked and you nodded, reluctantly moving your body away from his and sitting up straight. Loki waved his hand, setting a plate full of your various favourites food. You smiled and picked away and Loki kissed your cheek and headed upstairs. 

     Loki check a clock on the wall as he went. It was a little after one in the afternoon which meant Bruce would be just finishing his check up with Charybdis. Loki took the stairs, opting for the exercise since he didn’t see the urgency is interrupting Bruce’s check up with his patient. He got to the hallway where they had been keeping Charybdis quickly,  his hand going to the doorknob. Before he could open it, he sensed the use of magic.

     His jaw set in anger as he opened the door. Charybdis was sobbing as Prometheus held her roughly by the neck but Loki couldn’t make out what he was demanding of her. He found Bruce lying unconscious at the foot of the bed, the steady rising of his chest told Loki that he was still alive and could wait. 

     “Let her go” Loki seethed, enunciating each words. Charybdis was quickly dropped, landing back on her bed and scrambling away from Prometheus. She pushed herself into the corner, the furthest she could get away from him. 

     “This is none of your business Frost Giant”, Loki visibly backed, unaware that Prometheus knew that of him. “Please, I could tell the minute I saw you” Prometheus sneered, enjoying the fact that he was able to rattle Loki. 

     “You have no business being in this room, she is off limits to you” Loki told him, recovering from the initial shock, he couldn’t let that bother him, not now anyway. He thought back to you, your face and your laugh, you loved him for who he was, this thought calm him. 

     Prometheus took one last look at Charybdis before pushing himself past Loki and out of the door. Loki took a deep breath and smiled over at the small and scared woman. Before he could go over to her, he needed to warn someone but he didn’t want to worry you while he wasn’t around, worried about what you would do in your anger. 

     He walked over to the room's communication system that Tony had installed in all the rooms, he said it made it easier in case they were ever under siege. Pressing the green button, he waited. 

     “What’s up Bruce?” Tony’s voice asked. 

     “Bruce is unconscious” Loki told him. 

     “What happened?”

     “I don’t know, but Prometheus was in here and he was questioning Charybdis. I’m not sure what about. I need someone to make sure he doesn't leave the building and someone needs to tell (Y/N) to get up here. I will stay with Charybdis and Banner to make sure they are okay” Loki told him, ending the communication before Tony would answer and turned to the small woman. “I won’t hurt you”. 

     “I know”. 

***

     “What did you do to Bruce?” Tony’s voice rang out in the hallways as he and Bucky closed in on Prometheus. Tony’s anger was evident, he hadn’t been a fan of Prometheus staying in the tower in the first place, this just helped to cement his worries. Bucky’s metal arm flexed, ready for a fight. 

     "Charybdis attacked him and he hit his head, the poor fragile human didn’t stand a chance” Prometheus told them, his voice was mocking a sad tone but it lacked all sincerity. “I hope he lives” Prometheus added. Tony couldn't even place the emotion he was trying to imitate, it just sounded cold.

     “That’s not what Loki told us” Bucky replied, seething quietly next to Tony. Bucky had been willing to give Prometheus a chance; but now he was feeling betrayed, even though he didn’t really trust the new Titan. Prometheus chuckled, the wrinkles around his eyes becoming prominent. 

     “And you believed the criminal?” Prometheus asked and Tony faltered, unsure of what to say. He didn’t like or trust Loki, did he? Tony shook his head, trying to shake that thought from his head. 

     “Loki wouldn't do anything to Bruce, he knows it would make Asteria mad" Bucky countered, unlike Tony, he enjoyed Asteria and Loki’s company. “Besides, he is reformed”, Bucky added. He believed in them, deep down, they were good, they just didn’t like to show it. Prometheus scoffed at this. 

     “You sure have a lot of confidence in two people that are quite hated, even within the team” Prometheus told him. Bucky sneered at this and pointed a metal finger in his face. 

     “Stay away from Charybdis” was all he said before walking away and back to where Loki would be taking care of Bruce and Charybdis. Tony followed silently, taking one look back at the angry Prometheus before he caught up with Bucky. 

     Bucky slowly opened the door to Charybdis’ room, not wanting to startle the young woman again. When he poked his head through, Loki beckoned them in. Charybdis was in his arms, Bucky could see the poor woman was shaking like a leaf. 

     "Are you alright?" Bucky asked, his voice so low that he almost didn't make a sound. The last thing he wanted to do was to scare her again. Tony went directly to the communications system, asking for you and ignoring the rest of the group. 

     "I think so", her voice was soft and had a slight tremble to it. Bucky nodded and smiled, even if she wasn't okay now, he had no doubt that she would be; eventually. Tony made his way back to the inner circle they were beginning to form, but he stayed quiet, his mind full with thoughts of what to do with Prometheus. 

     It didn't take long for you to slam the door open, frantically looking around for any immediate danger. Steve was close behind you, surveying the room as well. When no threat was found, your eyes landed on the scared looking Charybdis. Your eyes softened as you walked to her and dropped to your knees in front of the bed.

     “Are you okay?” You kept your voice soft and she nodded, pushing away from Loki a bit, as if she was now embarrassed. 

     “You're friends saved me” she admitted. You smiled and tucked a stray hair out of her face and behind her ear. You moved around to sit on the edge of the bed, sitting protectively in front of Loki and Charybdis. 

     “What the hell happened?” Everyone looked at each other briefly, they still weren’t too sure what happened either. 

     “Prometheus wanted me to go home, when I refused, he got violent” Charybdis spoke up before anyone else had the chance. You twisted your body to look at her, she was no longer shaking but her eyes kept darting to the door; she was scared that he would come back. 

     “Why would he care if you went back to Olympus or not?” Steve asked your question before you had the chance. She just shrugged though, they must not have gotten that far before Loki interrupted. You got up from the bed, anger setting in. 

     “The reason doesn’t matter, I’m going to kill him” you seethed, heading for the door. Before you were able to turn the doorknob, a hand grabbed you. You whipped around and yanked your arm from Tony’s grip. 

     “Just hear me out” Tony begged. You were going to tell him off, but something in his eyes made you stop. So instead, you crossed your arms and waited for him to continue. “When Bucky and I cornered Prometheus in the hallway, he accused Charybdis of being the one to attack Bruce. We obviously know that's a lie, which means he thought that he could cause enough doubt for us to turn on her and Loki” Tony paused. 

     “What’s your point Tony?” Steve asked. 

     “Bare with me here Capsicle” Tony scolded and you held back a snicker, it wasn’t often that Tony used that nickname anymore. “We’ve all been getting along fairly well since Prometheus has been here, so the fact that he thought he could turn one or all of us against (Y/N) and Loki means he has been watching us for awhile and knows our history”. You all paused and let that sink in. 

     “So what would you have us do?” Loki asked. 

     “Play along” Tony smirked. “I know it sounds crazy but if he thinks he is turning at least some of us against you and Loki, we may be able to get some information out of him, like what he is doing here in the first place” Tony explained. 

     “You’d be a double agent? I like it!” Bucky exclaimed. You laughed and shook your head at this whole idea, but you also didn’t see any other plan working, Prometheus wasn’t going to just admit to an evil plan. 

     “We do have one more problem” Steve piped up. “Charybdis can’t stay here, it’s too dangerous for her”. 

     “Leave that to Loki and I, in the meantime, you need to fill the rest of the team in on this plan and keep an eye on Prometheus” you told them. “Also, make sure Bruce is still alive over there” you added, taking a quick look at the knocked out scientist. 

     “On it!” Tony exclaimed, motioning for Steve to pick Bruce up. After they left it was just you, Loki and Charybdis. 

     “I assume you have a plan?” Loki asked and you nodded with a slight smirk.  

     “I just happen to know the safest place in the universe”. 


	46. Chapter 46

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope this is alright, I'm sick with a bad cold so I never checked it over. Hope everyone enjoys the new chapter! :) Let me know in the comments if you did, or didn't, construct criticism is always welcome!

     You landed in a blooming field of wildflower and instantly let go of Loki and Charybdis. It was an instinct that made you let go, this type of travel often made people sick, but Loki was used to magic and his stomach was already hardened by years of magical travel. Charybdis, on the other hand, had spent the last few hundred years as a sea monster and was quick to throw up when you let go. 

     “It’s okay, being sick is quite normal,” you told her as you rubbed her back and pulled the hair away from her face. Loki looked around at the area, anywhere away from Charybdis, you assumed. 

     “Where are we?” Loki asked, he didn’t recognize anything in his immediate area and it was concerning for him. You smiled but didn’t answer until Charybdis stopped heaving. Once she did, you produced a bottle of water for her and let her sit down before walking over to Loki. 

     “Where do you think we are?” You taunted, he would figure it out eventually, someone who read as much as Loki did would know about this place. 

     “From what I can see, there looks to be a ruins city in the distance, but I don’t understand how I am supposed to know it” Loki was baffled and you relished in it. You smirked and titled your head over to the ruins. 

     “Let’s head over, and I must warn both of you that there are to be no weapons inside the walls” you stressed. Loki didn’t seem to happy about that, but he didn’t argue with you. There would be no point in it anyway, he always seems to give you anything you wanted. You kept your arm around Charybdis, just in case she felt another wave of sickness coming over her. 

     Luckily, you all made it safely and quietly to the gates of the ruined city. You ushered them both through the shattered entrance and led them through the city. Once you made your way through roughly half of the old city, you came to an immaculate palace that looked quite out of place. 

     “This seems familiar” Loki mumbled and you smiled. 

     “Welcome to Troy,” you told him with a smirk, gesturing to the rumble around you. Loki looked around once more, taking in the ruined city with new interest. 

     “Troy was destroyed centuries ago” Loki stated, still confused. You laughed and nodded your head as you continued to walk into the palace. Loki and Charybdis obediently followed you while looking around, attempting not to let themselves fall or bump into anything. 

     “You are quite right Loki, the battle of Troy had seen the city destroyed but my sister was always an admirer of the city,” you told him. You continued before he got to the questions he undoubtedly had about who your sister was and how it was safe here. “When all was said and done, and Troy was left in a pile to be forgotten by history; she moved it. Took the Earth that was around it and shifted the city into a slightly different dimension. She was years healing from the power loss but it meant that we had a place that even Zeus didn’t know about”. 

     “That’s amazing” he breathed out. “I’m assuming she restored the palace?” Loki asked and you nodded. 

     “They needed a place to stay, you can’t very well expect people to live in the rumble,” you told him matter-of-factly. You skipped into the garden area, the smell of the cypress trees bringing a smile to your face. Although it didn’t last long, soon, you were into a defensive state when someone charged at you. You flipped them over, landing on your back before rolling onto your knees. 

     “You’re getting slow, sister” you smirked as Leto managed to get back on her feet. 

     “We don’t see a lot of action here, remember?” Leto reminded you and you nodded, accepting her answer. You got up from you kneeling, ready to attack, position and walked over to Leto, enveloping her in a hug. “Is Zeus dead?” She whispered into your ear, wary of the strangers that you had brought with you. 

     “Unfortunately no, but I needed somewhere safe for Charybdis to stay, I can’t keep her with me,” you told Leto. 

     “Charybdis? As in the sea monster?” Her confusion was evident and very justified, but you couldn’t help but laugh. 

     “Former sea monster!” Charybdis piped up from behind Loki. You had realized she had taken refuge behind the god but seemed to grow more comfortable now that you were relaxed. 

     “I see, and you are?” Leto asked Loki. He smiled bowed his head to her. 

     “I am Prince Loki of Asgard and I am pleased to meet you” he introduced himself in a far kinder manner than you had ever seen before. You weren’t sure if it was genuine or he was looking to impress you, either way, it made you happy that he was trying. 

     “Loki?” She paused briefly before a smile came on her face, you could tell it was her fake smile. “It’s nice to meet you as well, my name is Leto”, she turned to you and gave you a confused look. “What the hell had you gotten yourself into, sister?” She asked, an incredulous look on her face. You laughed and waved her off. 

     “It’s a long story”.

     “Well, we best have a drink then” Leto smiled and ushered the party towards another hallway. She led in a startlingly fast pace, making Charybdis jog at points to keep up with the group. You looked around, quite a bit had changed since the last time you were here. 

     You were brought to large oak doors, Leto quickly pushed them opened and revealed a lovely sitting room, complete with several full bookcases. Both you and Loki made a beeline for the books while Charybdis took a seat. You could see Leto from the corner of your eye-filling a few wine glasses. 

     “It’s quite the impressive library you have here, Leto” Loki complimented. 

     “Thank you, we’ve been collecting for a while now,” Leto told him, she picked up all four glasses and proceeded to bring them to the small table at the center of the room. You took Loki’s hand and dragged him away from the books to sit down, he reluctantly followed like a good boyfriend. “So, want to tell me exactly what’s going on?”

     “Loki and I are part of the Avengers from Earth; Prometheus is living at the tower and he got pretty violent with Charybdis so we needed a place for her to stay” you summarized.

     “That’s a lot of information, isn’t Prometheus dead?” Leto asked, taking a large gulp of her dark red wine. You followed suit and shrugged your shoulders. “What about Zeus?”

     “Still an issue, we are working on a plan with the team” Loki offered. 

     “You’re letting the Avengers go up against Zeus?” Leto’s voice rose an octave and it took you back a little. “Their mostly humans, you’re going to get them killed” she scolded. You had missed your older sister up until this point and you couldn’t resist rolling your eyes. 

     “They can make their own decisions, Leto,” you told her firmly. She sighed but didn’t say anything else about it. It was quiet for a moment, just the clinking of glasses hitting the table and being lifted up to drink again. “So, how about it, sis, can you take Charybdis in?” You asked after a while. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. 

     “Of course, she’ll be safe here, I’m just worried about you” Leto was exasperated by you, you could tell but you still waved her off but mumbled a thank you. 

     “We should be heading out, Loki,” you told him, getting up from the chair. You stopped when Leto grabbed your arm. 

     “She would want to see you”. 

     “Now’s not the time Leto, I will see her when this is all over,” you told your sister without turning around. You yanked your arm away as Loki got up from his seat. You were too distracted to notice the footsteps coming your way, and quickly. You turned to leave just in time to see a small, out of breath brunette stand in the opening. 

     “Mom?”


	47. Chapter 47

     “You were going to leave without even saying hello?” Hecate asks, you could hear the slight rise in her voice, she was angry with you. You winced as you heard Loki sit back down and shuffle on the further end of the couch, you sighed. 

     “I’m sorry baby girl, I just didn’t want to get your hopes up yet” you told her softly. You could feel everyone’s eyes on you. “I can’t stay” you added with a sad frown. 

     “Why don’t we leave these two to talk” Leto announced. Loki and Charybdis wasted no time following Leto out of the room. Loki gave you an apologetic look, but that didn’t stop him from leaving, not that you blamed him. You sat down and sighed. 

     “I’m sorry darling, but things are complicated right now and I can’t stay long, we don’t know who's watching us and I can’t put you in that kind of danger” you told her. She sighed and sat down across from you. Her eyes welled up with a few tears but she managed to hold them back. 

     “I was starting to think you were dead” she told you. You wasted no time in heading over to her and bringing her into a hug. 

     “I know it’s been awhile, and I am sorry but we have a plan now and some help” you told her, at least to give her a little bit of hope. “My friends and I are working on a plan to get rid of Zeus, once and for all” you added. 

     “Friends? You have friends?” She chuckled slightly and you rolled your eyes. 

     “Just a few” you joked. 

     “Was that the two strangers who came here with you?” You sat down beside her, letting her go but still keeping hold of her hand. 

     “Yes and no. Charybdis is here for protection, it’s too dangerous to keep her at the tower with Prometheus’s motives being unclear” you told her. She didn’t ask questions about Prometheus not being dead, you assumed she had been listening the whole time. “And Loki is” you paused, unsure of how to explain Loki. 

     “You’re boyfriend?” Hecate offered with a sly grin. “It’s okay mom, I don’t mind, you deserve to be happy” she added, putting your mind at ease.

     “Then yes, we have been courting” you decided to tell her. 

     “Can you stay for supper? I would like to meet him and catch up with you” she asked, her eyes sad and her lip pouting. That girl always knew how to get what she wanted from you. 

     “I don’t know, baby girl, like I said, it’s dangerous to stay too long”, you didn’t sound convincing at all. Truth was, you wanted to stay and catch up with her. It had been so long since you had seen her, but the danger of it was still bugging you. 

     “I can take care of myself, I’m not a child anymore” Hecate argued and you laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

     “I know, but a mother is allowed to worry” you told her. 

     “I think we can afford to stay, the others are keeping Prometheus busy until we get back, beside, eating will help replenish your magic for the trip back” Loki’s voice caught you off guard. You looked up to see him standing at the door, arms crossed as he leaned against the door frame, a smirk on his face. 

     “Great! It’s settled then!” Hecate jumped up excitedly, leaving the room to no doubt go tell Leto and to help prepare supper. Loki laughed as he watched her run out of the room before crossing over to you. 

     “She’s seems nice” Loki told you before you grabbed his arm and dragged him down to the couch with you. 

     “You haven’t even known her for an hour and you’re already giving in to her every whim” you teased and Loki rolled his eyes. 

     “I meant it though, it will be good for you to keep up your strength. There’s no telling what Prometheus has up his sleeve” Loki’s serious tone stopped your joking around and you cuddled into him with a sigh. 

     “I know, it’s making me uneasy as well”.

***

     Thanks to magic, supper had been prepared very quickly. It seemed like no time had passed at all when Hecate came back and showed you both to the dining area. She asked you about the Avengers and then proceeded to berate Loki with questions regarding magic, the two seemed to hit it off well so you spoke with Leto about your last year on Earth. 

     “So these Avengers do know what their signing up for?” Leto asked again. She was very nervous for them, but you couldn’t blame her, she had also never seen the Avengers in action. 

     “Trust me, they are getting a better idea of the threat with every passing day” you told her honestly. “Their tough, good warriors and good friends” you admitted. 

     “Even Stark?” Loki interrupted with a smirk on his face. You rolled your eyes. 

     “Yes, even Stark” you laughed. 

     “I’m glad you found friends to help you sister, but should you need it, there is always help on Olympus as well” she told you quietly. 

     “I already told you, I will not ask that of them. Apollo and Artemis should not have to choose between us and their father” you told her firmly, to which she only sighed. You could tell that Loki and Hecate had stopped talking, listening in to your conversation instead. 

     “They asked about you the last time I saw them, their worried about their aunt” she told told you and you gave her a small glare. “Don’t worry, I told them nothing” she added. 

     “Good, we do not need anymore people involved in this fight, I will handle it” you told her, going back to picking at your food. It was silent for a moment, before Leto spoke up again. 

     “What about Tartarus?” 

     “What’s that?” Loki asked. You spared him a look, just enough to calm yourself down and he gave you a quick smile in return. 

     “A prison that Zeus uses, any of the Titans or those who sided with the Titans that aren’t dead were thrown in Tartarus” you told him. “It’s a place worse than Hell and there is no way to get in or out” you added. 

     “We can find a way” Hecate added. “We have a lot of books here, ones that Zeus has even outlawed on Olympus, we could find a way to open the prison and release the Titans, they’ll help you” she stressed. You put down your fork and sighed, apparently these two had been trying to come up with plans as well. 

     “Look, even if we found a way to open Tartarus and free the Titan, we would also be freeing the monsters that Zeus had locked up for a good reason. They would wreak havoc upon Olympus. Not to mention, the Titan who had been locked away have been stuck there for thousands of years, what makes you think they would even be able to fight? That place is designed to be the worst torture imaginable”. Loki took your hand, squeezing it gently. 

     “It doesn’t hurt to let them try, darling”, his voice was low, trying to only speak to you even though the rest could undoubtedly hear, they pretended not to. You stared into his eyes, wondering if he was right. 

     “Fine, you can look but just look! I do not want any of you trying anything you may find” you told them all sternly, and they all happily agreed. You smiled and pushed away from the table. “We really should be getting back Loki” you told everyone. He nodded and got up as well. 

     “Thank you for everything Asteria, I owe you my life” Charybdis , who had been quiet throughout dinner, was the first one to come around to say goodbye. She gave you a hug and you wrapped her in your arms. 

     “You’ll be safe here” you told her. 

     “Don’t worry about us so much, we’ll be fine” Leto told you, coming in for a hug next. She then turned to Loki, finger waving in his face. “You make sure to take care of her” Leto told him sternly and he tried not to laugh. 

     “Of course, I always do” he agreed. 

     “Be safe mom, I will miss you” Hecate threw herself into your arm, squeezing you with as much might as she could muster. She was definitely stronger than the last time you had seen her. 

     “Be safe as well baby girl, we’ll be back when we can” you told her with a kiss to her head. Hecate nodded and reluctantly let go before turning to Loki. 

     “It was nice to meet you Loki, be safe as well” she told him and he nodded again. 

     “We will look out for each other” he told her. You all said your final goodbyes before you and Loki made your way back out of the city. Once you were out of the protected area, you looked back, taking Loki’s hand. 

     “They’ll be fine, and you’ll be with them as soon as we take out Zeus” Loki tried to reassure you. It didn’t work, but you gave him a smile anyway. 

     “Let’s go home”


	48. Chapter 48

     “Why are we meeting in the basement, in what looks like an abandoned storage unit?” You asked, turning your nose up at all the dust that surrounded you. Tony rolled his eyes at you but you couldn’t tell, the room was too dark. 

     “She does have a point, why here and not somewhere else in the tower?” Steve asked, he had Bucky had been looking for a place to sit down. Nothing looked clean enough to sit on, so instead you opted to simply stand next to Loki. On the wall there was a tv mounted on a black wall, just barely visible, but it showed Prometheus still in the gym and unaware that anything was amiss. 

     “This place isn’t on any maps of the Tower, no one but me knows about it. It’s not even in Friday’s systems” Tony explained. 

     “So there’s no way Prometheus can know about it?” Clint clarified. 

     “Exactly, I figured this would be the perfect spot for us to meet. This place is soundproof, the walls are reinforced and the only door in or out of this place is hidden and can only be opened by yours truly” Tony bragged. 

     “And why are you just bringing this place up now?” Natasha asked.

     “I sort of forgot about it” Tony admitted sheepishly. You could see the other shake their heads but you just laughed. “So I think the plan I layed out will work, first I will start to distance myself from Asteria, Loki, Bucky and Steve and then start going to Prometheus and earning his trust”. 

     “Why Steve and I?” Bucky asked, a little confused. 

     “If Prometheus has been watching us, he will know how close you and Asteria have gotten, you would take her side in a heartbeat” Tony scoffed, as if it was obvious. “And anywhere one of you go, the other follows, so I lumped in Cap” Tony added. You resisted the urge to giggle but couldn’t help the smile that played on your lips. 

     “Makes sense” Steve agreed quietly. There was a moment of silence that fell between the five of you. You were unsure of what to say, or even where to start. You and Loki had talked privately about telling the others where you brought Charybdis, but you still felt a little uneasy about that. 

     “Is Charybdis safe?” Bruce asked, breaking the awkward silence. You decided to take his question as a sign, you trusted these people, they wouldn’t betray you. Although, you elected to ignore exactly where it was you went. 

     “Yes, she is with my sister and daughter, perfectly safe” you told them. You felt Loki squeeze your hand in reassurance. 

     “You have a sister?” Thor asked, a little startled by the news.

     “I do, her name is Leto.  She has been taking care of my daughter in a secret location since we left Olympus, it was the best way to keep them both safe”. 

     “Wait, Leto as in the mother of Apollo and Artemis?” Tony asked, you could hear the worry in his voice. You had almost forgotten that stories about Olympus, the Gods and The Titan had been in circulation on Earth for quite some time. Everyone paused to look over to Tony. "What? I've been reading up on my Greek mythology". 

     “Yes, Leto wasn’t as lucky as I was, she didn’t escape Zeus advances. Hera, Zeus’ wife has been looking for revenge so she hid herself. She was more than happy to have Hecate as company” you admitted. 

     “Wow, Olympus is a mess” Bucky breathed out. 

     “And Zeus is a dick” Tony added. 

     “We should focus, while we were there, they did mention a prison called Tartarus. Asteria disagrees with me however I think we may be able to use that to our advantage” Loki brought everyone back on topic. 

     “Why don’t you like that idea (Y/N)?” Steve asked. You took a deep breath, mentally scolding Loki for opening his mouth about it. 

     “Tartarus is an abyss worse than hell. When the Titans lost, those that weren’t dead or swore fealty to Zeus landed in there. It was built to be the worst torture imaginable, each prisoner getting his or her own version of whatever torture would be worse for them. It’s not something anyone should mess with, and besides, we don’t even know where it’s located or how to open the gates” you explained. 

     “So best case scenario, we could break out a bunch of powerful Titans and have an army, or what? Worse case we all get stuck in Hell?” Tony summarized. You rolled your eyes. 

     “No, worse case scenario, we let a bunch of mentally unable Titan loose on the planet, it would be a bloodbath. Even if it did work and we could get them out and somehow keep control of them; do you think Zeus is just going to wait around while we rehabilitate a bunch of Titans?”

     “She’s got a point, it seems like a huge risk” Natasha agreed. 

     “But it’s still an option, one we shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss” Loki urged. 

     “I agree, we should think about every option, if anything, it can be used as a last resort” Steve agreed. “Although, what would be the chances of throwing Zeus in there instead of killing him, would it be easier?”

     You thought about it for a moment, you hadn’t thought about that. Your plan had been to kill Zeus, not imprison him, but it may work. 

     “That all depends on if we can get it open and get Zeus in, but maybe” you paused. “We would need to wait and see what Leto and Hecate dig up” you finished. The others all nodded, it would give the team something to think about at least. 

     “We should wrap this up, it looks like Prometheus is done in the gym” Clint spoke softly. Everyone took a quick look at the screen and agreed, quickly leaving the room and dispersing through the tower. You and Loki made your way back to your bedroom, tired from the events of the last few days. After all, you had barely been able to get any rest since Prometheus arrived, you deserved a nap. 

     Once back in the safety of your room, you leaned onto Loki, who was more than happy to support your weight. 

     “I’m tired” you complained. 

     “You should be, you haven’t slept well lately” Loki agreed. He picked you up and gently placed you onto the bed before he cuddled in next to you. You smiled and quickly wrapped yourself around him with you head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. 

     “You haven’t slept well either, you know” you told him. It wasn’t like you had been up by yourself these past weeks. Loki had been just as worried and stressed out as you had been. 

     “Then we should both get some rest, our problems will still be around in the morning” Loki told you, kissing your forehead. 

     “Or if we’re lucky, they’ll just disappear overnight” you told him, a longing smile on your face. 

     “I have a feeling it won’t be that easy darling” Loki chuckled. You closed your eyes and relaxed into Loki, looking forward to getting some well earned sleep. 

     “Oh well, a Titan can dream”. 


End file.
